Fairy Tail And The Olympians
by liondragneel444
Summary: Natsu saw what stood oppose them in the mountain. The palace of the gods, Olympians as Lion referred to them. And on top of the highest tower they stood, waiting for the final showdown. Each god armed with plating to the teeth. Our fore-fathers… made a truce with a very dangerous, yet benevolent primordial god. "An Olympian?" The Abyss. The help of the Four Dragon Kings.
1. Chapter 1: Prologue

**CHAPTER 0: PROLOGUE**

A lone figure draped in black strode determined through the streets of Fiore's capital, a hood masking their face. This person's choice of colour in garment made them stand out like a sore thumb in between the beautiful dresses and architecture of the people and this country. Most people paid the figure no mind, they were accostumed to seeing new faces around town, especially around this time of the year. The Grand Magic Games were about to kick off and the excitement in the air made for a happy atmosphere. The people who did attempt to see its face recoiled sharply, people of Fiore were usually friendly by nature and in this extraordinary continent little was considered strange. However what must have been under that hood must definitely have been strange.

The figure was headed towards a particular inn, the one that housed and served the Fairy Tail guild this time around. It had waited a long time to finally make contact with that guild. Well in reality it was only one member who caught his attention, but he needed to be sure... he needed to be absolutely certain this wasnt just some punk dying his hair pink for fun.

I'm pretty sure we all know who It's looking for... dont we?

The figure quickly spots it, the Honey Bone Lodge, it's nice enough but It remembers the days when Fairy Tail could afford the best of the best. It made it's way inside quickly scanning the innards of the building. A wooden interior with a homely charm to it, wooden tables, chairs and small windows. Nothing seemed strange, except for the armour redhead woman at the bar. She appeared to be studying the building intently. It decided to go for a passive approach, taking one step towards the mage.

Unlucky for him, the moment his combat boots touch the wooden floor ot made a loud creak. Like a dying cat. _You have got to be kidding me... _it thought while looking ahead.

The redhead stood still, mid movement towards a slice of unfinished strawberry cake. The temperature in the room suddenly dropped so much the figure could swear It felt a chill.

Beautiful brown eyes gazed in Its direction. "Who are you?"

A rugged voice replied. "I'm looking for someone.. and old... acquaintance."

"I asked you a question." The woman said, a little more venom in her words.

"Fine..." The figure lifted its hood, revealing long pitch black hair... and eyes the colour of crimson. However... the woman found the face somehow familiar... angular and masculine yet.. she felt like she'd seen it her whole life. He continued to strip, taking off the hood and dropping a travel pack. Revealing two long blades on his back... blades the woman could tell were not ordinary, he then proceeded to take of the long coat he had enough for her to see a Fairy Tail symbol... right on his shoulder. Red like a bold statement clashing with the rest of the outfit. "Trust me now?"

"You're a member? I've never seen you before..." The woman seemed shocked, a puzzled look came over her face. "I've been in this guild all my life and I've never seen you..."

"I wouldn't expect you too... I've been doing things for quite some time..." The man replied recovering himself in cloth. "Look we can go talk to Makarov and sort this out... where is the old man?"

"He should be getting here any moment... " The woman appeared to be regaining her composure and quickly strode up and offered the man and armoured hand. "I'm Erza... Erza Scarlet... it's a pleasure to meet you...?"

The man shook her hand, a nice form grasp. "I'm Lion... Lion Dragneel"

Erza smiled and let go. "Well let's sit down... and..." Her brain suddenly caught up... what had he JUST said?

* * *

**Thank you all for reading. Dont worry guys, Natsu will be on of the main characters in the stoy, it's not going to be OC orientated. I'm thinking of pairing Natsu with Lucy, I feel like it'll make alot of sense, especially for the story. Please PM or review, I appreciate any type of feedback. **

**Either way thank you for reading, next chapter will clear up more stuff... this was just a kind of teaser.**


	2. Chapter 2 - Brothers

**CHAPTER 1: ****BROTHERS**

"I apologize... but I think I misheard you." Erza said quickly "What's your name?"

He looked perplexed. _Obviously she's going to react like that!_ He thought while thinking of what to do. _Well... you have to go through with it now_. "I'm Lion Dragneel..."

Erza's brain almost stopped working, her brain was going through so many possibilities... she was so focused that she didn't notice Lion trying to get her attention. "Hello... Ma'am? Are you okay?"

No response.

"This... is not going to plan..." Lion said picking up his things. "Maybe it'll be better if I just leave... "

Erza grabbed his hand. "Question, sir. Do you happen to know somebody called..." Erza put the pieces together. "Your looking for Natsu..."

That cleared up all suspicion. He was here... and this woman knew where. "Yes. I am. Do you happen to know where he is?"

"Uh..." Erza begun speaking before getting cut off.

"Sorry... I know it's hard to trust me... I don't particularly look like the nicest person..." He said referring to the whole combat outfit he had going on.

"No no. It's fine. Your a member of Fairy Tail. I trust you... It's just... I'm shocked. What are you to Natsu... His father?" Erza said looking up and pointing out Lion's age. "You look old enough... but he allways said it was a dragon... Igneel"

"And he's correct. Our father is Igneel." Lion replied.

"Our? that makes you his brother. But Natsu never talked about any relatives but his father." Erza was confused. She had never heard Natsu mention anything remotely resembling another human, let alone an older brother.

"Okay this might take a little... " Lion motioned for Erza to sit down. She followed suite and sat across from him. "Has Natsu ever talked about Igneel's love for humans?"

"If I I remeber correctly yes... he's mentioned it." Erza was examining his face... no wonder it looked familiar, he had Natsu's features. They were slightly different yes... harsher to a degree, more angular and experienced, he gave off the vibe that he's seen and done some serious shit. But everytime he smiled, even though it was only slightly, she could see Natsu. Bold and cheerful.

"Now why do you think a big bad dragon would develop love for humans?" Lion said raising an eyebrow.

"Well dragons are... well _were _know for being extremely intelligent..." Erza replied thoughtfully.

"Your on the right track... but what comes with Intelligence?"

Erza thought the question through. She wasn't much for philosophy but this answer she had to know... she was intrigued... she was...

Erza snapped her armoured fingers "Oh... I got it! He was intrigued... he was smart and smart beings long for knowledge..."

"Bingo..." Lion said sitting back. "Igneel wanted to learn about us... he was interested in how we worked. Well particularly why we fought, you see dragons hadn't had to need for an all out war between each other for centuries... they had learned it caused more harm than good..." Lion now pulled out a book from his bag. "This book here details Igneel's study of humans..."

Erza smiled trying to imagine a giant dragon hunched over a tiny book and using its massive talons to write science research. No... way.

"How do you propose said dragons... wrote?" Erza asked grabbing the book. With a black and red cover, the book seemed to be as thick as several bricks... weighed about the same too, with pages dense and handmade.

"With lacrima of course... I wrote this book... copied it after Igneel...disappeared" Lion's voice took a sad tone. "Has Natsu said anything about Igneel? any leads on where he is?"

"So you don't know where he is either? Is that why you have come over here?" Erza replied looking through the pages. What she saw was amazing... and terrifying. There were a dozen humans on here including Natsu being the last and Lion the first to be documented.

"So he knows nothing either? Strange... out of all of us... Igneel loved Natsu the most. I was sure he would have told him _something__._" Lion took a longing stare out of a window.

"What happened to all of these people? Are they alive?" Erza said taking a particular liking to a swords woman who was written.

"I've lost track of some... some have died... there are about 6 of us alive... 2 missing... the rest, you get the picture" Lion replied.

"Christ... I'm sorry..." Erza replied, knowing what it's like to lose someone you love.

"Don't bother. They died a long time ago..."

Eventually Erza got so invested in their talking that she lost track of time... there was just so much to learn. She read and asked about anything she didn't understand. She read about a huge man named Ivan whose preferred weapon weapon was rocks, another man who could use flames to replicate other humans and lastly her favourite. The third oldest of the bunch, she was a woman named Ley, who wielded dual axes and could turn invisible. Erza noted that Ley was marked _missing_. She learned that all of the Dragon Slayers who originated from fire usually took on other elements, since it was by far the most flexible.

_That explains Natsu's ability to add lightning to his arsenal._

"Hey, Lion... There are pages missing..." Erza said for what seemed to be the hundredth time. She had begun reading it from Natsu up the chain and now that she approached the firstborn... she saw only one page. It read:

_Warning, speciment is extremely dangerous. To be kept under extreme surveillance. _

"Why... would Igneel write this about you?" Erza asked showing the pages. "And where are the other pages?"

Lion looked up at the clock, it read 11:00 pm. "Shouldn't they be here by now?"

Erza looked up. "Ugh..." she got angry. "They're late...wait domt dodge the-"

The front door opened and Master Makarov walked in nonchalantly. "Erza! hello, child... and with who are you accompanied...by" His jaw hit the floor.

"Wassup graps.. been awhile." Lion said standing up. Erza only now noticed the size of him... not quite Laxus... but noticeably taller than Grey or Natsu.

"My child... How much you have changed..." Master Makarov appeared on the verge of tears as Lion kneeled to his level. "What brings you here... surely it isn't... Natsu?"

Erza was stunned. "Master you _know _him?"

"Of course I know him! I never forget one of my children!" Master Makarov turned back to Lion. "I thought you were in Morang... why are you here?"

"No Master... Morang was... a bloodbath. There was nothing I could do... you know my powers are limited to a certain degree of usefulness" Lion said chuckling.

"Oh... I understand. Well learn from the past and move on I say, now come. Tell me your reason for being here..." Makarov said pulling up a chair to the bar. "Gods does Guildarts know you are here?"

"No... I didn't want him to stress and come running back from his quest. Would be weird of Fairy Tail's ace came back randomly wouldn't it?" Lion sat next to him.

Only now did Erza spot Gajeel was accompanying Master Makarov. "Who's the weird dude in all black? A new member?"

"Like you can talk... and no, I feel he's been in the guild longer than me at least" Erza replied looking back at the book. The empty pages... the warning. Why is he dangerous?

"What? I've never seen him before..." Gajeel said before his nose twitched. "Wait a second... there's a dragon close..." He looked back at Lily who was inspecting Lion's bag. "No it's not from over there..."

"It's him..." Erza said looking back at Lily. "I wouldn't touch that... apparantly he keeps explosives in there."

"The weird dude? He's a Dragon Slayer?" Gajeel said inspecting him.

"Yes... and an old one... " Erza replied. "You, Natsu and Wendy need to talk to him... he says he met Metalicana and Grandeeney..."

"Are you serious? Theres no way..." Gajeel immediately begun marching towards the bar. "Hey, Blackie-"

Only to get pulled back by Erza. "Don't even think about it... trust me, he's not a guy you want to mess with Gajeel. For the past hour he's told me things I'm sure you understand much more... so try to stay on his good side."

"Tch..." Gajeel shrugged her off. "Fine... but only because I respect you and Master Makarov."

"Master I'm worried... there is some strange magic going on around Crocus lately. It was enough to catch the attention of a few dragons in Morang." Lion said looking around. "They told me theres an old ancient magic in play here, something that wasn't ment to be made."

That caught Erza's attention. She remembers the warning Jellal gave her earlier. He felt something was off, some strange magic.

"I'm guessing if your concerned then it must be urgent... we must evacuate the city..." Makarov turned to Erza. "Erza! go to the king-"

"No!" Lion stopped Makarov. "Master... It's time..."

Makarov appeared to consider this. "He's too young..."

"Remeber the deal we made?" Lion pushed Master Makarov. "When the time came you wouldn't stop me. You know I've already gave him too much time."

"But he's... I don't think Natsu is ready..." Makarov looked back at Erza and Gajeel, who were just listening intently.

"Master, what is he talking about?" Erza asked.

"Initiation... It's what he must do to become a fully fledged Dragon Slayer..." Makarov said looking down. "But I know Natsu can never do it..."

"What does he have to do?" Gajeel asked this time.

"Kill a dragon... " Lion said looking at Gajeel. "and from where I see it Master... This one is ready too."

* * *

Meanwhile with Natsu, Lucy and Happy. They were making their way back towards the Inn. Running due to being late...

"Ugh! Erza is gonna kill us!" Lucy said running behind Natsu.

Natsu on the other hand wasn't paying attention, he was just thinking of what Sting said.

_Third Generations are superior to first, you can't even compare us._

_You wished you were half as strong as us._

_We killed our dragons!_

Natsu could barely handle the anger he had in his body. He felt like he was about to explode... wich in his case is quite literal. _I can't wait to kick his ass!_

They slammed through the door at a full sprint. Natsu didn't know how but oke second he was on his feet and the next he was on the floor with red hair in his eyes.

"What the..."

"Natsu..." Oh god, he recognized that voice anywhere. "Your late..."

"Crap..." Natsu immediately backed away as Lucy was standing up. "Erza am so sorry, I didn't mean it I swear... don't kill me.."

Yeah how did you think that went?

"Ill go before he wakes... " Master Makarov said making his way out. "Come Gajeel, you can talk to Lion later..."

"But Master... "

"Gajeel... lets go"

Gajeel semmed torn apart, but eventually gave in...it could wait until tommorow.

"So long... cousin" Said Lion smilling just like salamander.

Gajeel stormed off, deciding to have none of it.

After they had all left only Lucy, Erza, unconcious Natsu and Lion remained.

"Erza... who is the weird dude at the bar...?" Lucy said to Erza 'discreetly'.

"I'm right here!" Lion said. "Well within earshot..."

...

Lucy paid it no mind. "Seriously who is it?"

Erza sighed. "To put it simply... hes Natsu's older brother."

* * *

**Thanks for reading. Next chapter out soon. Please Review or PM me, I love feedback.**


	3. Chapter 3 - Legacy

**CHAPTER 2 : LEGACY**

Natsu woke up with a massive headache, his head feeling like a nail was being sledgehammered into it. It appeared he was on a wooden floor, interesting... he had no idea how he got there. He remebered walking around Crocus exploring the city with Lucy and happy**. **

Then they met Sting and Rogue...

A pool of rage gathered in his stomach as he remebered the encounter, their arrogance and having bested ther very parents. He was so ready to turn that loudmouth prick into a torch... But let's see after that Lucy pointed out it was getting late... and**.**

"Oh crap!" Natsu looked up, but it the room was dark. He remembers... he had arrived late to the Inn and crashed into Erza**.** _Well that explains the heada__che. _

He took a sniff and looked around, there was this weird smell... it was so familiar yet different, there was something else mixed in with it.

Natsu's attention was drawn to a corner of the room, light by a lone candle. There sat a man drapped in black, who's red eyes semmed to glow in an errie way. There was a bottle on the table, it had been the sound of the liquid being poired that attracted Natsu.

"Your awake... good" The man said, taking a swig.

Natsu nose twitched, he'd caught the smell again... something and Igneel.

"Smell familiar don't I?" He leaned forward. "Go on... take a nice whiff..."

"Uh..." Natsu was suspicious... but his curiosity gave way and he pulled the scent into his nose. "Igneel?"

The man sweatdropped, _Yeah I don't remeber Natsu being the smart one of us. _"Um... not quite... while I do breathe fire I'm pretty sure I'm not a one-hundred metre long lizard..." The man leaned back and motioned to the empty chair opposite him on the table... "Sit... I'm pretty sure you have questions..."

Yeah that was an understatement... Natsu's mind was racing, a mile a minute. Who is this dude? Does he know Igneel? Does he know where he is? Why does my head hurt so much?

_Stop Natsu... think! _His brain hurt more. _Okay not thay hard... but just keep your cool... _

"Your a Dragon Slayer?" He asked.

"Yes... and I know Igneel..."

Natsu got to his feet. "Do you know where he is!?"

"No..." The man's face turned to sadness... "I was hoping you knew... I'm looking for him too..."

"How do you know him?!" Natus approached tbe table, nearly shouting... "Why are you looking for him?"

Natsu saw the man's eye twitch. Then Natsu's ears picked it up... someone was upstairs.

"Keep it down Natsu... Erza and the others are up there sleeping..." The man replied. "I will answer all your questions if you just sit... down"

Natsu got almost Erza vibes from him, he was a little scared yet completely overwhelmed by the need to know. So reluctantly he took the seat, looking towards the man.

"To answer your question, I know Igneel because I'm just like you... a son of his." The man said rolling up some sort off herb into a paper. "I'm Lion Dragneel... firstborn to Igneel, King of The Fire Dragons... Your eldest brother"

Lion could pretty much see Natsu's eyes pop out of his sockets. "I don't understand... Igneel never mentioned relatives..."

"Want some?" Lion offered Natsu one of the handrolls.

"Uh, no thanks... I don't even know what that is..."

"That's how it worked, we don't get to see the rest of the family until after initiation..." Lion said ignoring Natsu and lighting the blunt with a light click of his fingers.

"Rest of family? Are you saying there is more of us?"

"There used to be twelve... six died during the overthrow..." Lion's let out a large amount of smoke and looked at Natsu. "Two of those six are missing, your eldest sister Ley and older brother Ivar..."

When Lion said their names it made Natsu believe it even more. Names gave Natsu something to imagine them by... Ley... pink hair maybe? Nice and gentle, maybe like Lucy? and Ivar... oh has to be a big dude, maybe like Laxus?

"Of the other four two are in Edolas right now and two are in a continent called Ronest... very big people from there"

Natsu leaned back contemplation all of this. "I... I don't know what to say. It's strange... I thought ever since Igneel and all the dragons dissapeared that maybe I may never learn of where I come from. But now..." Natsu ran a hand through his hair. "I'm not... the only one? Who knew Igneel? I'm not crazy?"

Lion lightly laughed, a gesture that reminded Natsu so much of their father. "No Natsu, god no. But you are wrong..."

"What?" Natsu lifted an eyebrow.

"All the dragons haven't dissapeared... theres just... none here" Lion said and looked about. "The world is big Natsu... gigantic... I've visited and studied in places where there only IS dragons..."

"Really? Where?" Natsu asked smiling... being knockout by Erza couldn't have ended better.

"About ten days on boat from Port Hargeon..."

"That close?!" Natsu exclaimed. "No way, I'm surprised we don't see them flying about here"

Lion's eyes narrowed. "It's because they are scared of coming here..."

"Why is tha-" Natsu suddenly remebered Tenrou Island... The black dragon.

"This is territory of The King..." Lion said. "By the look on your face I'm pretty sure you have met him..."

"Yes..." Natsu looked down at his hands. "I fought him in Tenreou Island... and I couldn't do anything... I even did a unison raid with Wendy and Gajeel and that still didn't faze him. I mean if I'm a Dragon Slayer why could I do nothing?"

"Because you weren't fighting any regular dragon... He's rumored to be the King of Dragons... He's given me plenty of trouble in the past..." Lion said. "Gave me a nice haircut once... but meh I got his teeth..."

"You fought him? and... won?" Natsu asked.

"I wouldn't say I won... more like, I escaped with my life..." Lion said smiling. "It's a win in someone's book-"

"What's with all the ruckus...?" Erza had come down the stairs. Sleepy, confused and a little angry.

"He'll be up in a minute Erza... go back to sleep..." Lion said looking at the staircase by the bar. "We're finishing up..."

"He needs to be up early tonmorow... do not keep him up too late" Erza said, trying to maintain her authority "You need your sleep too... You will escort us to the Colosseum"

Lion tried for a diplomatic grin. "Oh I don't think that's necessary, really... it's pretty safe aroun-"

"Do I make myself clear?" Erza ignored him.

She put so much venom in her words that not only Lion but Natsu replied with. "Yes ma'am..."

"Good..." Erza made her way back up the stairs. "We leave at seven in the morning..."

After she was gone Lion put out his hand rolled with his finger. "I think you should get some sleep Natsu... You got a long day ahead of you..."

Natsu stood. "But-"

"Don't worry... I won't go nowhere. In fact..." Lion begun packing his things up. "I got a room right beside yours... so pick up your things, well talk more tommorow"

Natsu didn't like it... but he did as instructed and they both headed up to their rooms. Right before Natsu could enter his he looked to his left, where Lion was using his key to open his room door.

"Hey, uh... Lion" Natsu whispered. "What do I call you?"

"You just did it... my name, don't be weird about it. We are brothers, no need for fear..." Lion said entering his room. "Now get some fuckin' sleep, any longer and your gonna hate yourself tommorow..." He closed the door.

Natsu stood there for awhile, deciding hating himself was worth a little more of savoring this night. He didn't know how to be around blood relatives.

_This is weird... _Natsu thought entering his room, the sounds of Grey's snoring irritating him. As he got ready for bed he couldn't stop thining about Ley and how his other family might be.

* * *

Lion's eyes snapped open... he heard the sound of metal being scrapped across brick. He sprang out of bed, landing on his feet with cat like silence and grabbed one of his swords. He lightly peered out the window, the moon was full tonight and it illuminated the alley by his window perfectly. Three shapes moved about below, clad in silver coats and armed with blades at their hips.

_Hunters of Artemis?__... _Lion saw them line up what appeared to be a grappling hook to the room on his right. _Strange... they're usually after me... _He turned back and shrugged.

_Well... back to sleep- _He then remebered who was in the room to his right. _Shit!!!_

**BOOM***

An explosion rocked the building and Lion crashed out of his room, still shirtless and in just cargo pants. He kicked in the door to Natsu's room, what lay inside was rather surprising. The room was completely intact save for the wall that adjacent the alley.

Erza had stopped the blast, with two enormous shields in both her hands. While the blast had shocked everyone in the room awake however they were still groggy and unfocused.

**BOOM***

Another explosion, this one smaller... yet the reason was clear. Erza had stopped it, yet a green smoke spread into the room... poison.

"Everyone out!" Lion yelled looking at Natsu who was barely getting up, motion sickness. Must have been the rocking of the building against the explosions...

Grey and Lucy looked at him and nodded, he had met them briefly before Erza sent them to sleep... dependable wizards.

"Grey... carry Natsu!" Lion sprang into action unsheathing his blade and running towards Erza, who had dropped to one knee.

Slowly the gas spread to the rest of the room... Natsu, Grey, Lucy and Happy made it out but Erza was already coughing falling down face first holding her throat.

Lion ran towards her... only to be intercepted by a hunter, their blades clashing. Meanwhile the other two walked in looking down at the redhead knight and shaking their heads. What they were looking for wasn't here...

_Natsu... they're after him... _Lion pulled away, stepped in and ran the Hunter through, his blade sticking a meter out her back. He advance holding his breath and letting the dead Hunter slide from his sword.

"Leave Death Dragon... were not looking for you" One of the hunters spoke looking at him. "Unless you want trouble."

"You can't kill me... you know that..." Lion said pointing his blade at her. "Now leave..."

"I'm afraid we can't do that... we got word a pre-trans royal slayer is here, theres a big bounty on his head... Artemis wants him" The tallest one spoke unsheathing her blade.

Lion looked at Erza, she was barely breathing. She didn't have much time. "Well tell dear Artemis that the pre-trans is here... and under my protection."

This seemed to get their attention, the shortest hunter spoke up. "Oh my, _the _Death Dragon caring for someone? how peculiar. Why would the most deadly slayer want with a measly pre-trans? Unless..."

"Quiet!" Lion said and the shortest hinter caught aflame. Strange black flames enveloped her body causing her to wail in pain and fall on the floor. Seconds later there was nothing but a pile of ash. "Now you... call off the poison and give me the antidote."

The last hunter gritted her teeth and pulled back her cloak revealing pale blue eyes, blonde hair and a claw scar on her right cheek. "Why would I do that?"

Lion pointed at the pile of ash with his sword. "Exhibit A"

The hunter looked down and back up and swallowed hard. "Hunters are not scared of death..."

"Sometimes it's the pain someone feels when they die that is worse than the death itself." Lion motioned at the ashes again. "That is by far one of the most painful one..."

"Regardless of how painful-"

"Regardless of anything I am showing mercy. Your a new hunter, I can tell by boots... brand new, freshly sown and not a trace of re-sewing." Lion steeped closer, over Erza who was now starting to breathe clearer. He pushed her against the wall with the tip of his blade on the hunters throat, his red eyes glowing slightly. "Now listen closely, I'm not going to say it again. Leave and do not come back for the pre-trans. Tell Artemis that if I see another Hunter in the city I will burn her organization to the ground."

The Hunter stepped back, her eyes on the blade that was already drawing blood. "She'll kill me if I come back empty handed..."

"_I'll _kill you if you do not leave right now..."

"You know... you make a fair point" She said. "I will deliver your message... just please... don't kill me with the sword..."

"Oh so they told you about my blade? What did they say?"

"The left blade of the Death Dragon... is worse than his flame... that's all" The girl appeared to almost be crying from just the pressure of the steel on her neck. "It hurts... alot. That's all they said..."

"Fair enough... now go, and if you want to pain to go away tell Artemis to heal you... because eventually it will get so bad you'll want to kill yourself."

"Okay..." She was sobbing now. "I'll go..."

Lion removed his blade and in the blink of an eye the Hunter was gone, leaving a green vial on the ground.

And a huge gaping whole on the wall.

"Christ... what am I gonna do about you?" Lion picked up the vial and looked down at Erza.

"I know your awake..."

"For how long have you known?" Erza said slowly crawling to her feet. She felt weak, something was blocking the passage of air to her lungs.

"Long enough." Lion said extending his hand with the green vial in it. "Now drink this, it'll clear up your throat"

"What is it?" Erza said grabbing the flask, examining the green liquid within. "Hold on, what was with those wizards? Why were they here? After some sort of pre-trans?"

Erza was on her feet now, the top of her head barely reaching Lion's chin.

"The old man will explain everything when he gets here. Just calm down and drink the antidote. You may be breathing again but the poison will keep closing your lungs..." Lion pushed the vial into her hands. "You ask too many questions..."

Erza smelled what was inside the vial. "Christ what is this?"

"A combination of lavender, dragon guts mixed with other ingredients you don't want to know about." Lion said sheathing his blade in it's scabbard and turning around to examing the wall. "Now, I'm not even supposed to be here... well I'm not supposed to make contact with Natsu until he transitions."

"Transitions?" Erza asked chugging all of the vial's innards and making a disgusted face. "Is it like the initiation you mentioned with Master Makarov?"

"Precisely... before Transition a pre-trans, as some wizards say, must not have any contact with his family. It is to build character." Lion crouched down by the rubble. "But Natsu is well past the age of transition. Igneel should have gone through with it the initiation when Natsu was sixteen... He's past that now"

"Very much past that..." Erza repeated throwing the vial away. "I heard bounty..."

"Why?" Lion juggled a piece of rubble in his hand. "Or who to be more precise... who would put a bounty on Natsu?"

"Well he's beat up alot of people over the years..." Erza thought back. "We got Jellal, Zero... a bunch of other smaller wizards..."

"No... none of those people would know the Hunters of Artemis, let alone have enough money to afford them..." Lion stood up. "Only a few people know of Natsu's location... very few..."

Erza pinched the bridge of her nose. "Look... how about we run it by the rest of the guys... I'm tired, my brain is not working at full right now... maybe Master Makarov or Gajeel know something..."

"No." Lion replied.

"No what?"

"Nobody outside of the guild must know of this..."

"Why?" Erza walked around to look at Lion from the front. "Together we can work this out... much faster too"

Lion looked up, his face a mask. "Because everyone that knows is in danger. The Hunters do not like loose ends. Even though I told them to stay away... I know Artemis personally... she's alot like you"

"Oh yeah? In what ways?" Erza crossed he arms.

"She's stubborn like a motherfucker..."

Erza laughed, fifty percent out of funny, the other fifty percent out of fear because Lion didn't seem to be joking.

* * *

The next morning came all too fast for Natsu, who awoke to the sound of eggs frying and the smell of bacon. "Ugh... hungry..." He opened his eyes and found he was back on the downstairs part of the inn. He had passed out on one of the tables. He looked about, his nostrils felt weird and his back hurt. Grey and Lucy we speaking and sitting by the bar. Erza was on the other side.

Natsu stood up and made his way over to his friends. "Good mornin'... oh no... is Erza cooking?"

Lucky for him Erza did not hear that.

Lucy replied. "No actually, it's your brother... he makes amazing eggs"

Just then Lion came through the doors to the kitchen, a handrolled in his mouth and a plate of four fried eggs and extra bacon in his hand. "Hear you were up Natsu. Here...eat. You are going to need it..."

"Ugh... what time is it?" Natsu asked as he begun inhaling food.

Erza replied. "Six in the morning. Finish there quickly and shower. We have the opening ceremony for the Grand Magic Games..."

"Shower?" Natsu asked. "Why do I need to shower?"

"Just do what the women in your life say, Natsu..." Lion replied while reading a book. "Makes your life alot easier. Much less headaches too..."

Lion and Erza begun discussing something in the book he was reading and Natsu lost interest. He looked to his left where Lucy was fixing her hair into a ponytail. "How you feel Lucy?"

"I'm fine, just weirded out. I have no idea what happened last night... it happened so fast." Lucy finished he high ponytail and looked over at Natsu. "And you? How do you feel?"

"Excited..." Natsu said. "Today the Grand Magic Games begin..."

Lucy laughed. "Really? You just gonna not care about what happened last night..."

"Meh... Lion drove them away. What else is there to worry about?" Natsu said over a mouthful of food.

"Good to see you never change Natsu... " Lucy said.

"Thanks..." Natsu said stuffing more food in his mouth.

"And chew with your mouth closed!"

* * *

They left the inn at half past six in the morning. The opening ceremony didn't start till eight but the participants needed to be there at least an hour before. Natsu had been wanting to talk to Lion the whole morning but everytime he asked soemthing Lion replied with 'later' or 'not now Natsu'.

The Colosseum came up ahead of them and Natsu heard Lion say.

"Gramps, why do I have to participate? I'm not even ment to be here!! Broadcasting my location to the whole kingdom might not be a good idea..." Lion said his arms crossed. "Plus I do not think its fair for me to battle these mages..."

"Quiet!" Master Makarov replied. "Just fit into the team okay? plues I do not care about how much stronger you are, winning the Grand Magic Games is about the mone-... em putting Fairy Tail back on the top..."

"You know that girl Wendy wasn't all that messed up... she semmed strong enough to fight..." Lion said hoping for a way out.

"That child is unwell. You told me yourself she didn't look good when you walked into her room. So you will take her place and that's the end of discussion... " Master Makarov semmed thoroughly done with the conversation.

"But... ugh fine whatever... just as long as you keep the deal we made about Natsu..."

Thats got Natsu's ears listening even more intently.

"Very well..." Master replied.

_Wendy? Not looking good? _Natsu slowed down and let Gramps and Lion catch up. "Someone hurt Wendy?" Natsu said, venom in hus voice.

Master Makarov replied. "She was found unconscious last night in the garden near the palace. There was traces of magic on her."

"Do we know who did it!?" Natsu exclaimed.

"Calm down, Natsu. We have no idea who did it... However..." Lion said.

Natsu's eyebrows creased. "However?"

"My best guess is that whoever did it... is probably in that arena" Lion said motioning towards the massive entrance to the Colosseum.

Right before the participants and the guild split up, Master Makarov asked a question. "You don't think it was the Hunters do you, Lion?"

"No, old man. We both know that if it had been the Hunters... She wouldn't have made it."

That got Natsu's blood pumping. "Whoever these Hunter people are... I'm not likin 'em"

* * *

When they entered the Colosseum the Fairy Tail guild was encountered with hundreds of different guilds in the arena. Also the Colosseum was packed with people, all of them hoping to see who the top eight would be.

Grey whistled while looking around. "Got a crowd don't we?"

Everyon looked up to see eager fans looking down. Most of them in Saber Tooth colors. None in Fairy Tail.

"Sucks to be on the bottom doesn't it?" Grey said.

"Have faith Grey..." Erza said. "Nowhere to go but up..."

"Hey people..." Lion said. "Eyes on the ground..."

Natsu looked down to find hundreds of eyes looking at them and murmuring.

"What are they doing here?"

"Look who's come to get their ass kicked for an eigth year in a row.."

And lastly...

"Whoa... Look Rogue... Good old Natsu had the balls to show up." Sting appeared through the crowd, his brother Rogue walking by his side.

"Daring... for a first generation..." Rogue replied as they made their way over to Fairy Tail. The rest of the Sabertooth team staying back.

"Sting..." Natsu said through gritted teeth.

Erza stepped in. "We're not looking for trouble Sting."

"Hey, I'm just saying..." Sting put his hands up. "He should know his place..."

"At least I didn't kill my parents!" Natsu said. "I'm not a murder"

"I killed my dragon as a way to display my power!" Sting said. "Therfore I am better than you..."

"You bitch-" Natsu was about to lunge but an arm on his back stooped him.

A soft chuckle, as Natsu looked back to Lion laughing with a small smile. "What did you say, youngling?"

"Erm... I'm sorry do you first generation's senses not get better? I said that this first generation should know his place..." Sting said stepping closer.

"You have no idea what you are talking about..." Lion stepped to match Sting in the middle.

Sting looked him up and down. "Who are you... his bodyguard?" Sting looked over at Natsu. "I had respect for you... but this gets rid of it all..."

"My brother doesn't need a bodyguard..." Lion said. "And you are out of line... Natsu is your elder..."

"Pfft, who cares?" Sting says. "I'm better than him..."

"Who are you to think your better than a royal bloodline?" Lion brought his head down to Sting's level.

"Royal?" Natsu said.

"Royal?" Sting asked. "I'm sorry... what"

Lion took a whiff of the air. "Hmmm... a puny light dragon. My father crushed your species aeons ago..."

"What are you talking about?" Sting said stepping back.

"He's talking about his father Igneel..." there came a deep voice from the direction of Saber Tooth. A tall man stepped up, with long blonde hair and geared up in the same attire as Sting. He had the likeness of Sting yet... older.

"How we hate that name, eh Lus?" Another voice. This one came from another man with the same build, yet clad in all black.

"A Usurper who dethroned our father... Oscurio, tell me... why would the Death Dragon be here? If not to hurt out family once again..." The blond man identified as Lus said.

Lion looked between both the figures who stood behind Sting and Rogue.

_Come on... I hate all this talking... _Natsu thought as he examined the new wizards. Both stood slightly taller than Lion. Both looked like older versions of Sting and Rogue. The one named Lus had eyes so bright it made Natsu double take on them. He'd never seen such a bright blue before.

"Oscurio... Lus... come back boys... we don't want any trouble..." A female voice this time.

Natsu noticed Lion flinch. Which as a shock made all heads of Team Fairy Tail flinch too.

Lion spoke through gritted teeth. "I know that voice..."

A tall woman stepped up with long flowing white hair, purple eyes and clothes resembling the Hunters from last night. Natsu thought this was strange but didn't give it a second thought until Erza spoke.

"Artemis..." Erza said. How she knew? Natsu didn't know.

"Who?" Grey and Lucy both said at the same time.

"Lion told me about her last night... after the attack..." Erza looked worried, which scare Natsu even more. "She's ment to be as strong as one of our Ten Wizard Saints..."

"Quite right... Titania... Quite right..." Artemis looked straight at Erza, up and down. "Pathetic... I was expecting more..."

"Excuse me?!"

"Doesn't matter..." Artemis looked back at Lion as both Oscurio and Lus walked back to stand behind her. "What were your words, dear? 'Burn my organisation to the ground?"

"Leave!" Lion said.

"No... I think I'll burn yours!"" Artemis laughed.

That's when the Grand Magic Games announcer begun speaking.

* * *

**Thank You all for reading. Review or PM me I love feedback. I would love to know what people think of the story... what you think should change?**

**Next chapter out sooooonnnnn!!!**


	4. Chapter 4 - The Grand Magic Games Begin!

Erza looked up as did most of the contestants. The figure addressing them through hologram lacrima was a combination between a pumpkin and a midget.

"Heeeeelllloooooo and welcome to the Grand Magic Games!!!" The pumpkin exclaimed. "Nice to see so many contestants... Sadly only eight will be left after today..."

_Elimination? _Erza said. _What will be the hurtle this time?_

"At the end of the main road of Crocus there are eight shields..." The pumpkin man continued. "Many obstacles have been placed on your way to the end... the first eight guild to collect the shields... will continued to the Grand Magic Games!!!!" The pumpkin hologram jumped up. "The only rules is there are no rules!!! Get to the end by any means necessary! Only one member of your team must grab the shield to qualify! So good luck and... Let the games begin!"

Out the corner of her eye Erza caught sight of Natsu and Lion in a standoff. They had their eyes locked on the new dragon slayers, Oscurous and Lus. It looked more like wild animals facing off than men.

Any means necessary...

There was gonna be a Dragon Slayer throwdown right here.

"Hey guys let's go!!" Lucy screamed as thousands of wizards scrambled for the exit. The end of the main road was over fifty kilometers away. It would take a while for even wizards to cross that distance.

"Natsu!!" Erza screamed out. "Lion! Let's get moving!!"

"I hear yah..." Lion and Natsu said at the same time while breaking eye contact and heading off. Both knew they had more pressing concerns.

"Scared of a little light... Death Dragon?" The tall man named Lus said.

"Run off, Lion... you won't win against my Twin dragons" Artemis said checking out her nails, confident as ever that she won't be disqualified. "Just as much as your little brother won't win against their siblings... it's pitiful really"

Natsu stopped and turned at this. "Oh she's asking for it now..."

"Natsu prioritise... what's more important? A fight? Or all of Fairy Tail who have their hope in us winning?" Lion said grabbing Natsu by the shoulder.

Natsu was about to scream back but saw Lion's face. It was cast with what looked like grief... and anger. Natsu could see his older brother's veins on his neck, as thick as ropes. He wanted to fight just as much as he did, but was holding back for Fairy Tail. "Okay... let's go..." Natsu said giving one last hate filled glance back.

"Uh... guys!" Gray yelled. "I'm not in the mood to be left in the dust!"

"Right!" Erza said as all of the Fairy Tail team begun mobilizing. "Let's go!"

All of them sped up and out the Colosseum, being part of the last group of people to begin heading out.

"Were gonna have to speed up!" Lion yelled as the begun running. There were just about to turn the corner out of the Arena when he heard a bow being drawn back.

Erza heard as well, by the time she looked over her shoulder an arrow flew.

Time slowed down...

Artemis fired an arrows directly at Erza. It traveled in slow motion as Erza saw it come closer to her. Natsu saw it, Gray saw it and Lucy saw it. All of them made a move to intercept but none would make it in time. The arrow flew gracefully across the wide open space, Artemis hadn't even moved from her spot, a smile on her face as she saw the trajectory of the arrow fly true.

The arrow was ten meters away, five meters, three...

Erza made a motion to get out of the way, but she moved slow too. Much too slow.

_I'm not going to make it! _Erza though as the arrow kept closing.

Just when it seemed like the arrow was going to hit her in the chink of her armour...

The sound of gears caught her attention. Gears turning followed by metal hitting metal, and then arrow hitting metal.

A black shield had appeared before her and the arrow bounced clean off.

"Keep moving!" Lion said, pulling his shield arm down. "You can trust me... I won't let an arrow touch you."

Erza nodded and time flowed normally again.

They kept running through the innards of the Colosseum until they came out to the main road.

Brawls had broke out throughout, blocking some parts of the road with struggling bodies. Magic spells flew around causing explosions all around.

It was a flat out war happening on the capital's main road.

"Keep running!" Erza yelled. "Don't let anyone get in your way!"

"Right!" Everyone called back doging spells and kickikg people out of their way.

"Outta the way!" Natsu yelled. "Fairy Tail is back in the house!!!!!"

* * *

Back inside the Colosseum Artemis and her Twin Dragons stod in the middle of the arena.

"Ugh! That insulent Slayer! I hate him!" Artemis yelled kicking the ground before regaining composure. "Christ, I hate the effect he has on me..."

"Let us go..." Lus suggested.

"We'll make sure they don't qualify..." Oscurus said. "Plus you promised us revenge..."

Artemis sighed. "Well, either way since were part of Saber Tooth were going to qualify..."

"So..." Oscurous asked crossing his arms. "Should we slow them down?"

"Yes..." Artemis said her face twisting in anger. "Ill provide cover... Just don't let his guild qualify!!" She said stomping the ground in anger, making the hard dirt crack.

Oscurous and Lus looked at each other like: _whats wrong with this chick? _

"Stop looking just go!!"

"As you wish" Oscuruous said dissapearing in shadows.

"Well end him..." Lus said as he turned around and headed for the exit.

* * *

Natsu kicked another guy to the moon when he heard a loud boom above him. "Incoming!!"

Arrows landed and exploded around the group as they ran, sending shrapnel all around. Thankfully, they were only scratched.

"She won't miss next time!" Lion said as the group stood still, fights happening all around them.

"What should we do? we can't hit her from here!" Gray replied looking up at the sky, his shirt somehow magically gone.

"And no doubt those Slayers are on their way." Lucy said.

"I'll handle them!" Natsu yelled. "Those guys ticked me off from the start! I'm fired up!!"

Lucy replied. "Stop being so stupid, we need to make it to the shield. We can't waste our time on dumb fights!!"

"Well, techniqually only one of us has to grab the shield..." Erza said looking at Lion. "All of us don't have to be there"

Lion thought for a second, then smiled. "Attention to detail, I like it." His shield appeared again. "Lucy, Gray and Natsu. Keep going. We're counting on you for us to qualify!"

"But-" Natsu started.

"No buts Natsu!" Erza said. "We have faith in you guys! Lead Fairy Tail to the grand magic games!"

Natsu thought for a second, then smirked. "Okay! kick their ass Erza!" He then started running towards the end.

"Be careful!" Lucy said following Natsu.

"We're counting on you guys to not let them pass..." Gray said before takin off.

"You don't have to tell me twice..." Lion said as him and Erza begun dispatching fighters.

* * *

Artemis could see all of Crocus from her vantage point on the Coliseum. She could see the that Saber Tooth had already acquired their shield, her backup plan already in place.

_In case I don't get him here... _She pulled back another arrow and aimed. Her target the scarlet haired knight about fifteen kilometers away. _I'll be able to destroy him in the Games. _

She let the arrow fly, magic spiraling all around her. _He won't block this one...__ At least I hope not._But she was wrong again, just before her arrow hit, Lion's black shield stopped the arrow. This time getting stuck on the metal.

Artemis smiled.

_The farther I am... the more momentum my arrow carries... If he gets any further that shield isn't going to stop my arrows._ She nocked another arrow, this one ment to cause shrapnel and a explosion.

_If I can distract him enough to let Oscurous and Lus get to him... _

* * *

"She can see us from that far away?" Erza asked as Lion put his shield down, most of the fighters around them now unconcious.

"She's a goddess after all... don't be fooled by her young body..." Lion said pulling the arrow out, keeping his eyes trained on Artemis.

Erza required back to her Heart Kreuz Armour. "What are we going to do about her?"

Lion didn't reply.

Erza waited a little bit, then repeated herself more forcefully. "I _said_... What are we going to do about her?"

"They're coming..." Lion said, his nose twitching.

"Who? The wizards that accompanied her?" Erza said tensing up too and looking around.

"They're here..."

Just then the sun fell out of the sky.

* * *

With Natsu, they came upon what seemed like a huge lake flanked on both sides by walls with thorns.

On the shore, where the pavement turned to water, were row boats. They had to row what semmed to be five kilometers.

"I'm not using the boat..." Natsu said looking at it like it had killed his whole family. "Never ever..."

"Oh come on Natsu!" Lucy said. "It's not that far!"

"No problem..." Gray said putting his fist in his open palm. "**ICE MAKE: BRIDGE!!"**A bridge of ice appeared conecting their side of the pool to the other.

"Nice!" Natsu said as he begun running across.

"Wait..." Lucy said. "Didn't that pumpkin guy say something about traps?"

"Yeah, But Natsu wouldn't have understood what that meant either way..." Gray said crossing his arms and waiting for Natsu to see if the bridge is safe.

"So your using him like a guinea pig?!" Lucy said before making a disgusted face. "That's cold... even for you Gray..."

"What? It's not like hes gonna di-"

Just then the ice cracked and both Lucy and Gray snapped to attention. "What was that?"

One light appeared... then another, followed by what looked like a hundred more. All in a line and swaying, it looked like...

Lucy realized it first. "Natsu! Come back!!! There's a sea monster!!"

Natsu stopped turned around. "What's that?"

Behind him the ice exploded, a geyser of water spewing up. Natsu was drenched with water, his eyes wide open in surprise.

Lucy and Gray's face didn't help his surprise, as their eyes traveled up and up, taking in the being that cast a massive shadow on Natsu.

"N-natsu... come back..." Lucy said not taking her eyes off the mosntrous shape.

"Nice and slowly..." Gray said, his body expressing fear.

Natsu being Natsu, turned around.

The Dragon Slayer and the Sea Serpent locked eyes, and then the beast roared, the sound being something between a bear and a lion. Lightning spewed from it's yellow and black scales Natsu took off running.

"AHHHHH!!! WHERE'S HAPPY WHEN YOU NEED HIM!!!!????"

* * *

"The sun..." Erza said looking up. "It's falling!" She could feel the immense power. It was on par with Master Makarov... maybe even Hades... it was incredibly strong.

"Quickly!" Lion said closing his distance to Erza. "Adamantine Armor! Now!"

Erza's warrior mind kicked back into action. "Right!"

Bright light shone on the ground as Erza Requipped, but was quickly swallowed up by the brightness of the light above them. As Erza was enveloped by her high defense armour, light appeared to envelope everything. She could barely keep her eyes open.

"Ughhh!" Erza said, closing the shields against the incoming attack. The second both her shields closed she could see, slightly better. However, around them the ground appeared to be almost completely white... and was getting brighter.

"What is this?" Erza asked. She felt like she was back in front of the guild hall, stopping the Jupiter Cannon.

"That's Sting's elder brother... Lus. He's coming straight at us. Your armor should hold him..." Lion said looking around. "However, his twin is a little smarter... where could he be?"

Lion was back to back with Erza, looking around. Erza could feel his blades on her back and the heat coming off his body, the temperature very much like Natsu's. "What magic does he wield?" Erza asked.

"Shadow Dragon Slayer Magic... I don't know his post-initiation abilities..." Lion replied.

Both of them could barely keep their eyes opened now.

"The stronger the shadow... the stronger I am...!"

"Shit!"

The sound of a blade hitting steel.

Erza was about to look back but that's when she felt pressure of Lus on her enchantment, the Light Dragon Slayer crashing against her spell. It was like holding back a planet. "Christ! What's wrong? She asked her muscles tensing.

"Give me a second!" Lion said as the sound of struggling made Erza nervous.

A pulse from Lus made Erza step back slightly, her leg going between Lion's. The force of the attack died off slightly and she pulled her leg back to it's original position, a warm feeling on her ankle.

"What the..?" She dared look down and her leg.

It was covered in blood.

"What!?" Erza looked back and what she saw almost made her jump.

A curved blade had pierced Lion on the lower abdomen. The sound of steel against steel had been the sword coming out the other side and bouncing of Erza's armor.

Erza saw Lion with his hand on Oscurous's face as he struggled to push him away. Oscurous had come from the shadow bellow them, the only one around for what seemed like forever.

"Get the fuck off me!" Lion pushed, using Erza as solid leverage. However, Oscurous was stubborn and kept his standing. Well... um... kept his shadowing since he was half _in _ashadow.

"You won't get away!" Oscurous said twisting the blade inside of Lion.

Both Lion and Oscurous struggled some more as Lus slowly died off on his attack. Allowing Erza to recover and change armor.

"**REQUIP: HEAVEN'S WHEEL!**" She sent swords after Lus, who had just landed on the ground and sent one straight to the shadow below her driving the Shadow Slayer back.

Lion fell to one knee he kept pressure on his wound. "Ouch, dammit! That one stings..."

"Are you okay?" Erza said looking down at him from over her shoulder, her body facing the two Slayer before her.

"Yeah, I'm fine..." Lion stood up. "All us post-trans slayers have a sort of power that affects us..." When he turned around the whole in his abdomen and back were gone, replaced by perfect new tissue.

"Regeneration?" Erza asked, watching steam fly from the recently covered wound.

"You can call it that..." Lion said standing next to her. "Now..."

"I hope we're not interrupting anything!" Lus said, his cocky grin and beard making him look like a viking as he strode forward. "Just making sure were on the same page...**LIGHT DRAGON: ROAR!!!**"

"A breath attack!" Erza said guarding.

**"FIRE DRAGON: ROAR**" Lion chanted, cancelling out the light with his flame.

"Good... very good!" Lus said walking to the right, Oscurous walking the opposite way, circling Erza and Lion. "Now, let's see the girl... she a niusance..."

A spear appeared in his hand with a steel pole and a three pointed tip, all black and blue. Lus dropped down in stance before pushing off and flying right at Erza speartip first. Oscurous took off and attacked Lion, turning into a shadow and appearing right behind him.

Lus flew and Erza stopped him deflecting the spear of to the side. What she didn't expect was the knee that hit her in the stomach, making her double over slightly.

"Hmmm, not too strong..." Lus said looking down at her.

"Don't underestimate me!" Erza spoke, requiping. "**BLACK WING ARMOR****!!**" She slashed at the Lus and they traded attacks. Deflecting and attacking at lightning speeds.

Eventually the traded away and jumped back, now Oscurous blocked one way of the road and Lus the other. Erza and Lion stood in the middle, back to back again.

_They cut off an escape... _Erza thought. _They're not truly attacking yet... they're just testing us right now. _

"Wow, I expected more from Titania..." Lus said with his spear on his shoulder all relaxed. "Seems I'm going to be disappointed once again!" He walked to the side in a relaxed mocking manner.

Erza felt anger in her veins as he insulted her.

"Whatever..." Lus continued. "I'm not here for you... so this is your last chance..." He stopped and stepped to the side. "I'll give you a chance to leave... maybe then your pitiful guild might actually qualify.."

"Don't pity me..." Erza said pointing her blade at him as more anger flown through her, almost unproportionally. "And don't pity my guild... they will succeed. And so will I"

"Well... can't say I didn't give you an out.." He dared smile.

Erza didn't know why, but she felt pure hatred towards the man before her. Almost as if he had done something horrible to her. _I hate him... I don't know why but I HATE HIM..._ She saw her view tunnel and only concentrate on him. Erza was losing control of herself, her composure and her mind. She didn't even remeber where she was. All she knew was that she wanted to kill the man before her.

"I'll kill you..." Erza said her eyes bloodshot.

"Well..." Lus said with a mischievous smile. "Come and get me..."

"AHHHHH!" Erza pushed off, her sword swung back. She was aiming to put all of her strength into one blow.

"Stop! Erza! He's ability is manipulation!" Lion yelled, Oscurous lying on the ground behind him.

But Erza only heard an echo, she was so close now... so close to finishing him. Ending his life.

However, Lus made no move to get out of the way. He didn't even try to block. He just stood still looking at Erza approach him.

"Die!" She swung her blade with all her might.

Only for it to cut smoke.

What she didn't see was Lus behind her, his spear raised. As he brought it down Erza looked up, the anger seeping from mind. "How did he?"

Once again, the sound of metal on metal as Erza tripped and fell. Her world coming back into normal view as she regained her senses. He sight had come back to normal and her body no longer felt angry. "What the hell happened...?" She looked back.

Lus's spear was deflected again, Lion had thrown his blade to stop the it just in time. The blade had stuck right into the pavement not to far from Erza, and was still shaking from the force.

"Tch! Lion!!!" Lus yelled bringing his spear around, aiming to cut Lion clean in half.

Lion ducked, the spear passing above him by centimeters. He then jumped up, his fist aflame. "**FIRE DRAGON: IRON FIST!**"

He knocked Lus right into a building lining the main road. "And stay down..." Lion's fist steamed as he stood straight again. He then approached Erza, his eyes on the brand new Lus shaped hole on the nearby building.

Erza stood up, ashamed of herself. She was freaking _TITANIA_, The Scarlet Knight... yet she'd been saved _twice _on the same day. She'd been shot but some little girl then fooled by an asshole... not very Titania sounding events. "I'm sorry..." Christ she sounded pathetic.

"It's not your fault... you've never fought matured Dragon Slayers before..." Lion replied inspecting her. "Good... your not hurt..."

"What kind of power was he using? I felt no control over my body..." Erza said staring at her armoured hand.

"He can control a very powerful human quality..." Lion said making his way to picking up his sword. "Emotions... to be exact. He has Emotion Manipulation as his post-initiation power. Strong stuff..."

"He can control... Emotions?" Erza asked looking at Lus make his way out from the broken building. He had a massive burn mark on his cheek and moved very slowly, like every little movement hurt.

"Which means he can control people..." Lion said. "Not someone you want to necessarily trust... or can..."

"Not a word..."

"Sorry?" Lion said looking at Erza.

"Not a word of this to Natsu or Gray. It's embarassing..." Erza said giving Lion a death stare.

"Yes, ma'am..." Lion replied, twitching. He didn't even know why he chose the word ma'am. He didn't call anybody ma'am. Ever.

Lus finnally stepped back into the fight, his hand rubbing his burnt cheek. "You certainly live up to your reputation... Death Dragon..."

Erza and Lion looked at him. Both of them ready for a fight.

"You know nothing..." Lion replied sheathing his blade to his back.

"But... now I know how you fight..." He smiled. "And what's with the Fire Dragon magic? I remeber Artemis telling me you had more than that..."

"Yeah, for people who are dangerous..." Lion said mockingly. "Your nothing compared to foes I've faced before..."

That just semmed to make Lus hurt more as he tripped and fell to the ground. However, he still struggled, trying to close the distance between him and Lion. "I can't... give up..."

"Can't... give up..." Oscurous said from behind Lion and Erza. The eldest Shadow Dragon Slayer crawling too. "Must... avenge.. father..."

"I'll kill you..." said Lus, his gaze fixed directly at Lion.

"No." Lion said turning away. "You won't..."

Lus gritted his teeth hard enough for Erza to hear making her look down at him. The Light Dragon Slayer had his fists clenched hard enough to make his knuckles white. Thought not matter how hard he tried, Erza could not feel any intent from him. While Scarlet still felt great magic power from him, she did not notice any spells. Lion had knocked his spirits to the ground with one punch.

"I can try..." Lus said lightly. "I can try dammit..."

"Lus..." Osucrous said, looking at his brother with sad eyes. "Stop... it embarrassing to see you this way..."

"But it's true..." Lus pounded the ground. "It's true... I can still try..."

"How about we settle it in the Grand Magic Games?" A voice, Artemis's voice reaching them from the Colosseum. "My dragon slayers will crush you then... in front of your puny family!"

"These?" Lion motioned to the downed slayers around him.

"Yes... They are young... but they are strong." Artemis said, lining up an arrow. "You only caught them by surprise... they weren't expecting you to be so... human."

"What is she talking about?" Erza asked, looking up.

"I'm a human, Artemis..." Lion said. "Just like my brother..."

"You may be able to fool that redhead's simple eyes... but a goddess's sight is far more difficult to trick..." Artemis was almost done as the air blew her silver hair. She was waiting for the stop in wind, the millisecond where her arrow's course will be uninterrupted.

_Could this be about what the book said? _Erza thought looking at Lion. _Is she talking about information that was in the missing pages?_

Erza remebered herself reading that passage of Igneel's book.

**_Warning, speciment is extremely dangerous. To be kept under extreme surveillance. _**

Erza had a thought that moment, _Why would a dragon... fear a human enough to keep it in extreme surveillance? _She looked at Lion's face, so much like Natsu's. But harsher... and angular. Different enough that if he twisted his expression the right way, he became evil. Something like a devil. _Unless... He's not a human at all..._

"Say whatever you want Artemis... my guildmate has no reason to trust you..." Lion replied and then whispered in a lower tone to Erza. "She's aiming her bow... but not at us..."

This snapped Erza from her train of thought. "What?" She took a look herself. Well she couldn't see anything due to not being a Dragon Slayer but the intent is what counts.

"Have Natsu and the others made it to the shields?" Lion asked, keeping his gaze fixed on Artemis.

"No... " Erza said turning around to take a look. "I don't think so..." The she out the pieces together. "She's trying to hit Natsu?!"

"Maybe..." Lion replied. "How about you start making your way over to them? I'll keep watch here..."

Erza was about to agree, but then stopped herself. "No... your coming too."

"I've got a bone to pick with-"

"I'm not asking, im _telling _you..." Erza said, testing her authority against Lion. "We've done our part here... these slayers won't catch up to the others."

Lion looked over his shoulder at Erza, and she saw the war in his mind. He was deciding wether to obey her or defy her. It was not a look she got from anyone, ever. Hell, she can remeber Master Makarov sometimes being scared by her orders. But this guy... He's something else. She couldn't quite figure him out.

"Fine..." After holder her breathe for awhile, she got the answer she wanted from him. "I trust you, Titania..."

"Then let's move... we don't have time to loose..." Erza requipped into her Heaven's Wheel Armor. "Try to keep up..."

"Oh, is that a challenge?" Lion said turning around.

Artemis realized she had been pushed out of the concersation and tried to push herself back in. "You will never fool-"

"Only of you can challenge me..." Erza replied.

"HEY! DON'T JUST IGNORE ME YOU STUPID MORTAL GIRL!!!!" Artemis yelled, more to herself since the recieving end wasn't paying attention. She the went back to waiting for the wind while murmurring to herself like a little girl. "Stupid little redhead thinking your to good to listen to me!" She then tried for her best Erza impression. "_Only of you can challenge me_, Fuck off..."

The wind stopped.

"Oh, I'll give you a challenge..." Artemis let the arrow fly. "Should be pretty challenging if your brother is dead..."

* * *

Natsu almost vomited over the side of the rowing boat. He was barely staying concious. "Uhhhh... I wanna go back inside the Sea monster... at least there my tummy didn't hurt so much..."

"He ate you twice, Natsu..." Lucy said, with her arms crossed. Gray was rowing the boat. "Don't you think that's enough for one day?"

"Uhhhh... Its much better than the boat..." Natsu than proceeded to expell his stomach"s innards. Adding a more disusting ingredient to the already, dead-sea monster filled waters.

"Hey! I think I can see the end!" Lucy said ignoring him.

Lucy saw eight pedestals all stacked perfectly in line. All but one empty. The shield that was left looked like it was made of metal and was round shaped. Behind each pedestal stood a thin pole holding a flag. The other pedestals held the flags of the guilds that had aquired their shield. Saber Tooth, Mermaid Heel.. Etc.

"What? Are there any shield's left?" Gray asked, since he couldn't see where they were going.

"Only one..."

"Crap! We're dead last!!!" Gray said rowing faster.

"Quick, Gray! I think theres another guild there!"

True enough, there were two guilds fighting for the last shield. Each of them keeping the other from getting and closer to the shield.

"Come on, Gray!" Lucy screamed.

"I'm going as fast as I can! Stop yellin' at me!" Gray replied. "Wait...Lucy behind you!!"

"What? Not another monster..." Lucy turned around and saw... "Erza!" .

Titania was flying over the water, carrying Lion in one hand. "Hey, guys!" She said.

"There's only one shield left!!" Lucy screamed back. "What do we do? theres arleady people fighting for it!"

"Oh, no..." Erza said. "There's already people at the shield?"

"Not good..." Lion said before smilling. An idea on his mind. "Lucy!!"

"Yes!?"

"Tell Natsu to catch what I'm going to throw him!"

"He's got motion sickness? He's vomiting over the boat!" Lucy replied. "He's in no condition to do anything!"

"Just get him ready! On three you make him jump up if you have to!"

"O-okay!!"

Erza made a confused face. "What's your plan?"

"Don't worry... just get me a spear..." Lion said.

"How?" Erza asked.

"With your requip magic..." Lion said like it was super normal. "Just call a spear from your pocket dimension and pass it to me... You've never done that before?"

Erza almost stopped flying. "You know... I never thought of that..."

"Whatever, just give me one..."

"**REQUIP!!" **Erza said and a spear appeared in her hand before she passed it to Lion.

"Okay on the count of three I want you to throw me in the air..." Lion said.

"What!?" Erza replied.

"Just do it! Lucy you ready?!" Lion yelled over to Lucy.

"I-I think." Lucy said holding a spirit key.

"Good... One ONE!"

"**OPEN: GATE OF THE...**" Lucy begun chanting.

"TWO!" Lion juggled the spear. Testing its weight.

"**AQUARIUS!!**" Lucy yelled as a stream mermaid appeared. Then the boat went flying upwards from water. Since Lucy and Gray were holdong on, they came back down with the boat. However Natsu having not really paying attention to life, flew up.

"THREE!!"

"HMPH!" Erza lanced Lion up in the air. He twirled a little but time stod still for a second. Just long enough for Natsu to come into consciousness and Lion to throw the spear.

Natsu, out of reflexed, dodged and grabbed to attack. The momentum of the spear carrying him back at breackneck speeds. "WHOA!!!!"

Not a second later the spear impaled itself to the pole behind the last remaining shield. Natsu, just now realizing what happened, looked down. The shield was bigger up close, about one and a half meters of metal in height and width. With a black handle on the back of the shield.

"Okay Erza you can catch me now!!" Lion said flailing as he fell into the disgusting water.

"You never mentioned that in your plan..." Erza said with a dumbfounded look.

Lion's head pooped out the water, a few teeth and other disgusting things caught up in his hair. "It's common sense isn't it?!?!?!"

"I just think that was your muscalculation..." Erza said acting dumb and nodding her head while looking away.

"God dammit!" Lion yelled before taking a wiff with his nose. "I think Natsu vomited in here!!!

"Okay..." Erza said, not playing around anymore. "I'm coming..."

Infront of the fighting guilds, Natsu just let go of the spear, landed, and grabbed the shield. The second he made contact with it the bronze metal changed color.

"What the...?"

With a black background, the Fairy Tail emblem was marked on the front of the shield in red. The shield was also now covered in marks of all colors, all in a intricate design.

Above Natsu, the same design was posted on the flag, flying high and proud.

"HELL YEAH!!!" Natsu lifted the in triumpth. The mark of Fairy Tail shining bold for all to see. "FAIRY TAIL IS IN THE GAMES!!!"

* * *

**Thank you all for reading. I hope you enjoyed. This story is going to take place over the GMG with a few twists here and there. I will repeat myself, Lion will not be the main character, i dont want people to think i just stuck my OC there for no reason than to just live my fantasy (maybe a lil). Every character will be involved and parings will be ordered. I Just hope you guys can give Lion at least a chance.****Anyway, please review i really would enjoy feedback. If not just PM me if you have ideas or questions about the story. Thank you for your time. **


	5. Chapter 5 - The Olympians

**Picking things of a little after the end of the last chapter. Right now, we are at the night before the welcoming ceremony, where all eight teams In the Grand Magic games will be introduced. I hope you guys all enjoy this chapter. More things happen and will include a lot more character development.**

**Anyway, enjoy it. **

Erza was not too thrilled about the change of inn. She had already grown slightly accustomed to their last one. However, due to the attack on them a night before it was very likely they will never be seeing that place again. It was also very likely she wouldn't be getting a proper night's sleep in a while. Erza prided herself on her keen senses and readiness, however for a team of assassins to not only catch her by surprise but also knock her unconscious, it was a terrible hit to her pride.

_Don't forget you got your ass saved,_ Erza's not so helpful brain seemed to want to remind her of that little bit of information every few minutes. _And it's just kept happening, hasn't it? Saved multiple times by the same person. Just imagine what the others think of you? The great Titania… saved by a random wizard. _

"Ahh! Stop!" Erza said, making her guildmates around her look at her with confusion.

"You doing okay Erza?" Natsu said, happy on his shoulder eating a fish.

"Yeah…" Happy continued, "You have that weird face on your face ever since we left the Coliseum."

"No, I'm fine… just lost in thought is all," Erza replied, not technically lying. "Natsu, do you have any idea where Lion went off to?" Erza had been confused when Lion departed from them right after they acquired the Shield of Fairy Tail (Master Makarov and Mavis had decided in that name). Erza remembers how lost in thought Lion had appeared, she had no idea what was going on it his mind but it looked serious.

"I don't know…" Natsu replied, patting his belly. "All I know is I'm hungry!"

"Natsu, concentrate!" Erza said, getting a little uneasy.

Lucy was the one who spoke next, a finder on her chin in a thinking pose. "He murmured something about a missing arrow and power…" The celestial spirit mage then shrugged, "Hell if I know what that means,"

"Okay, thank you, Lucy…" Erza then went back to her thinking.

They were making their way over to their new inn, nearer the center of the capital where more soldiers patrolled the area. Makarov had insisted closer but Erza was able to persuade him that ten soldiers an hour were enough. Erza welcomed the extra protection, however, if her body gave her a chance to sleep, she didn't want that to be ruined by the sound of clanking armor outside. _Especially since that could be mistaken for other things_ Erza thought. The Hunters of Artemis, Lion had called them. They were a group of women warriors that hated men and carried out assassinations. Or so had Lion put it.

_They were after Natsu, but why?_ Erza couldn't stop herself from looking ahead and her pink-haired guildmate. _What could they want? _So many unanswered questions ran through her mind it made her dizzy. Her body also ached with hunger and she still felt sore in her abdominal area. That knee to her stomach had been one of the harshest punishments she'd endured. Erza almost laughed as she remembered not caring about it in the moment, only to almost vomit once her team acquired the Shield of Fairy Tail.

"And… were here…" Gray said who had been guiding them with a map. "Looks pretty expensive… wonder who's paying for it?"

"Master Makarov is covering the bedrooms… any meals you wish to have…" Erza shot Natsu and Gray a look of warning. "Comes out of your pocket…"

"Meh… as long as I don't have to deal with flame brain's snoring…" Gray replied.

"What you say, ice prick!?" Natsu replied clashing heads with the Ice-Make mage.

"You heard me; I don't want to lose any more sleep over all your dang snoring!" Gray replied pushing back Natsu. "Or you got a problem with that?"

Erza split them apart with maybe a little more force than necessary. "Now, now boys… let's not get pushy. I'm sure Master Makarov got you guys different rooms."

The Inn was ironically called the _Sleeper's Demise_ which, frankly Erza didn't know if it helped or damaged its reputation. The front door was wood lined with metal and heavy as Erza pushed it open. The first floor was a restaurant/bar that housed a staircase that led to the inn rooms. The floor and walls appeared to be made of marble, and the lighting and decorations to the innards of the building were intricate and exquisite. A far cry from the inn they had before.

_How much is Master paying for this place?_ Erza thought.

Erza and the rest of her team made their way over to the bar where a young woman wearing a suit was cleaning. She looked about Erza's age, with long black hair and a nice smile. "Excuse us, we had a reservation to this inn…" Erza said leaning over.

The woman looked up; pitch-black eyes met Erza's gaze. A small smile appeared on her face. "Oh, right. You guys must be Fairy Tail…" She bent down to snatch something from beneath the counter. "Here are the keys to your room," She placed three different keys, each numbered 21, 22, and 23.

"Oh, thank you… "Erza said snatching up the keys. Three rooms, how was she going to split up the boys? Either split them up or stop them from fighting at midnight…

The woman called Erza to attention, "I thought there were meant to be five of you?"

"There are…" Erza replied, running her hand through her hair. "The last one is just out right now… He'll be getting here later, sorry for the bother…"

"Oh, no that's alright…" The woman smiled, "I'm just making chatter, gets kind of boring here sometimes… not many people can afford this place…I'm Aura by the way…" Aura stuck out her hand. "I know what people say about Fairy Tail now days… but I still think you guys are the best guild…"

Erza had to smile, this girl was a far cry from the boo's they gotten after retrieving the Shield of Fairy Tail. Not many people liked their name now days. Scarlet took the woman's hand. "Erza… Erza Scarlet. A pleasure to meet you Aura. I'm glad some people still have faith in our guild…"

"How could we not?" Aura replied, her eyes on Natsu. "I mean, you guys have the amazing Salamander… pretty much the original Dragon Slayer in the Grand Magic Games before the new Light and Dark Slayers took over."

Was that pride Erza heard? No, she must just be tired too tired to be listening straight. Her brain has been racing a mile a minute since Artemis hinted at Lion not being human. She needed calm and peaceful space. "Oh, well I'm sure you will get to know him better in a bit… were all hungry…"

"Oh," Aura smiled again and stood straight. Erza just now realizing how tall she was, she could easily see over Erza's head. "I'll fix you guys something to eat… what is it you want?"

"Give me a second," Erza turned around. "Guys, what is it you want?"

Natsu ran over, about to shout something. Then stopped abruptly when he reached the desk Erza stood at. His nose twitched and Natsu's face turned to confusion. He took another sniff, slight leaning over at Aura. "You smell weird, lady…"

"Natsu!" Erza exclaimed, hitting him over the head. "Be polite!"

"Ow, why'd you have to hit me?" Natsu rubbed the back of his face. "I didn't mean it in a bad way… It's just that her scent reminds me of Lion… I don't know how… It's different."

A red light of danger went off in Erza's mind as she looked over to Aura. She appeared harmless enough, but so had Lion. She couldn't let her guard down. "Different in what way Natsu?"

"Dunno…" Natsu said, taking another long smell. "Wait… it's gone. Maybe I imagined it?"

Erza wasn't completely sure, Natsu's nose had never been wrong before. "Check again…" Erza's eyes never left Aura, the black-haired woman looked confused at this exchange.

"I'm telling yah Erza… I can't smell it anymore," Natsu looked bored now, his stomach grumbling. "And I'm hungry…"

Erza sighed, but she wasn't completely letting her guard down. "Fine… what is it you want?"

"Fire meat!"

Erza rolled her eyes, "Oh, Natsu you know only Mira can- "

"No, it's fine…" Aura smiled at Natsu, her eyes examining him. Apparently, she had dismissed their little argument. "I'm not working here because I'm your average bartender…"

_The extra cost must include extra perks… _Erza thought. "Thank you…"

"No problem,"

Gray and Lucy ordered meat and vegetable soup. After that, Erza leaned over again. "Do you happen to have any Strawberry cake?"

"That might take a little longer…" Aura looked honestly disappointed. "Are you okay with that…?"

"Of course, "Erza smiled, now beginning to like the woman. She then said another thank you and turned to her team. "Okay, guys. Let's go sit down…"

Time passed and eventually everyone's food arrived. They all dug in happy with their meal. Well _happy _was a light word, Natsu looked like he was almost crying.

"Not even Mirajane makes it this good…" He said grabbing the flame meat like it was nothing, and chewing with his mouth way too full. "What did she put in it?"

"Make sure Mirajane doesn't catch you saying that…" Erza said when someone sneezed outside. All of them turned when they recognized the new voice.

"Can ya keep it down Mira? It's meant to be a surprise!" Gajeel Redfox said, his accent clearly recognized.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't expecting it…" Mira replied, sounding startled.

"Okay, I think the show is over…" Laxus said pushing open the door, revealing himself, Juvia, Gajeel, Mira and what looked like Mystogan.

Everybody in Erza's team stood up. "What are you guys doing here?"

Laxus stopped. "I'm guessing gramps didn't tell you…"

"No," Erza said sighing. "He did not fill us in…"

"Well…" Laxus was about to speak again but Gajeel interrupted holding a shield above his head.

"Were in the Games!" Gajeel said, the shield in his hand the Fairy Tail mark on it, however it had a slightly different coloration. More yellow and blue, compared to Erza's team whose shield had more of black and red.

"What you mean?" Natsu said. "There can't be more teams in the games!?"

"Well, technically… there can…" Mirajane said with a smile, looking at Natsu's dish. "Oh wow… who made this?" Mira too a whiff of the food, looking very pleased with the smell. She then turned her head to Lucy. "Did you make it?"

"Erm, no way…" Lucy said.

Mira continued. "Gray? Didn't think you had a thing for cooking…"

Gray looked startled. "No way I'm making food for that dumbass…"

"Oh…" Mira looked clearly surprised, her eyes settling on Erza… then moving to Happy. "Was it you?"

"Don't consider me over that dang cat!" Erza said, slightly ticked off.

Mira looked away from Happy chowing on another fish. "_Was _it you?"

Erza's eye twitched. "N-no…"

"Point proven…" Mira stood back up Erza holding back her anger. "I thought I was the only one who knew how to make fire meat…"

Erza thought this. "Actually, it was the woman at the bar… she's pretty good at cooking." Erza said gesturing to her strawberry cake.

"I have to meet her then…" Mira said.

Time passed again and Laxus explained that whichever team came out on top would pretty much own the other team for a day. Now **THAT **got everybody's competitive juices flowing. Juvia ran over to Gray like usual and they all ate together, Erza questioning Mystogan (Who was Jellal in secret) over how he was here. Jellal said it was the only way he could sneak into the Grand Magic Games undetected. Erza understood and thought back to their little fiasco at the beach… making her go red. Eventually, everyone but Erza went upstairs. Aura had picked up all of their dishes and begun washing. But by now the sound of dish washing was long gone. It was nearly three in the morning. She stayed downstairs, Igneel's book in her hands, a single candle lighting the dark room. She had Requipped out of her armor and into her classic white blouse and blue skirt. Those clothes just made her feel more relaxed, letting her concentrate more in her reading and thinking. She couldn't stop looking at it, those words Igneel had written:

**_Warning, specimen is extremely dangerous. To be kept under extreme surveillance._**

_Why? I don't understand… Natsu himself said Igneel loved humans. _Erza was lost in thought as rain roared outside, patting the window close to her.

"I don't get it… ugh!" Erza threw her hands up, the book clattering down to the floor and landing face up, the pages open explaining the sister Ley. The third eldest member of Natsu's family and also the first woman. Erza remembered her abilities. Invisibility and dual axes… a pretty deadly combination. Erza reached over to pick up the book.

However, Aura picked it up first, looking at the pages. "Wow, you've got a pretty cool book here…" She then shut the book and handed it to Erza. "Whoever wrote that has got a pretty cool imagination, huh?"

Erza grabbed it back, murmuring a thank you before looking at the leather cover. "Well, actually… it's real…" Erza looked up, but saw nothing. Nobody was there. "What…" She stood up looking around. Nope, Aura was nowhere to be seen.

_I must be tired… _Erza thought, a hand over her eye. She opened the book again. _'Ley has a natural sense of special awareness… and her battle prowess is only second to her older siblings… her pink hair gives her a sort of angel persona… making her appear to be from heaven itself.' _

"Pink, huh?" Erza said, as lighting struck outside. She took a sip from a mug she had near. _It's a shame Natsu doesn't bother to read this book… he would be thrilled… _Lightning struck again, this time very much near the inn. Causing Erza to twitch and look out the window. The storm was raging outside, making the rain come and go as wind carried it.

Again, the lightning struck in the exact same place. "What is going on?"

Lighting light up the area and Erza's breath caught. Outside, there were figures fighting. Wizards, had to be. She couldn't quite make them out, that night was completely pitch black for some reason. Even the street lights of Crocus appeared to be out. Erza could see a weapon now, what looked like a two-sided spear that radiated lightning. Every time that weapon clashed with the other, lightning struck the earth. Above her, she could hear the sound of her fellow friends stirring to consciousness. The storm was getting worse. The ambient inside the inn changing from warm and welcoming, to cold and unsettling. A quick look at her unarmored arms showed hairs standing on end. There was electricity in the air, and something told her it had nothing to do with Laxus.

Flames now danced outside, not normal ones like Natsu's.

"Crimson… pure red…" Erza said, a strand of her hair falling out of alignment as she peered closer to the window.

The road outside was illuminated by the flames as they raged despite the amount of rain outside. In fact, it seemed to only make the fire brighter and more prominent. She could see both the fighters now, a large man with a beard held what looked like pure lightning. His eyes looked to be lightning too, as they stared with hatred at his opponent.

Lion's coat was gone, revealing two magic pistols under his armpits. He wore a black shirt under along with thick black pants. Erza couldn't see his face as he was turned from her. Fire danced around him and clawed at his opponent, like fingers trying to grasp a tool.

What happened next made Erza think twice. Lion struck the ground and the earth shook, making Erza loose balance and fall to the ground. More lightning and then… silence… just rain hitting the window again. Erza stood up, now sure that everybody upstairs was awake.

The door to the inn opened and Lion stumbled in, his coat back, blood following in after him. He was smoking something else, not like the small hand rolled herbs he had earlier. Now in his mouth was a thick cigar, something Erza had rarely ever seen before. She remembered once a long time ago seeing Master Makarov with the same, way back when she was a little girl. She always wondered why he had changed.

With his hand, Lion covered bleeding ribs. When he locked eyes with Erza, he froze. Then, like nothing, tried to act normal. "Can't sleep…?"

Erza didn't reply for a second.

"That bad, huh?" Lion chuckled with nervous humor that turned into a spastic cough.

"What happened?" Erza ran over to him and examined his wound. It was very deep puncture, and when she tried to touch it lightning zapped her. "Ouch…"

"Yeah, don't go doing that…" Lion sat across from where Erza was sitting earlier. "Sit… Let's try to look normal for when everyone comes down…"

"Why is that not healing?" Erza asked pointing at him. "What the hell just happened outside?"

"Sit…down…" Lion said. "and I'll tell you…"

Erza threw her hands up in a _What the hell! _Manner. She sat opposite him.

"Do you know who I was fighting?" Lion asked, extending a hand to look at Erza's cup. Water, not what he was looking for.

Erza thought back to what she witnessed. "A wizard I'm guessing… a friend of Artemis?"

"Yes and no…" Lion said blowing smoke. "A friend, yes. A wizard, no. He did not wield magic."

That caused Erza's brain to short circuit. "How could he wield that spear? And the lightning?"

"Not a spear…" Lion said, and Erza could see him calculating if it was worth making his way over to the bar, or was the mortal wound he had too much of a hassle.

_This idiot is going to get himself killed… _Erza stood up, ignoring Lion's look and made her way to the bar. She leaned over, grabbed a bottle from below the counter and made her way back. She then sat down and placed the alcohol on the table, when Lion reached for it, she pulled it away.

Lion's eyebrows knit together in confusion. "What's going on, Erza?"

"I want to know…" Erza replied, looking over at him, this idiot who was her guildmate. "What the hell is going on?"

"Not important, really… I'll tell Natsu later." He leaned over, going for the bottle. This time Erza Requipped her armored gloves and smacked his hand away.

"I have a right to know…" She was serious. "I'm his family too. Maybe not by blood…" She pointed to her arm, where her blue guild mark was. "But by time…"

Erza watched Lion's mind through his eyes. He was thinking of some clever remark and Erza had no doubt he had one. But something about the gesture she had done was keeping him from talking. He leaned back, wincing, and looked up at the ceiling. His face was a complete mask, but Erza was pretty sure she caught sight of sadness in his features. "You really want to know?"

"Unlike a certain psychopathic family, I have been with Natsu since he was a child…" Erza leaned over. Seeing Lion wince at her remark, "I have a RIGHT to know. Ever since you got here Natsu's been happier yes, but everything around us has turned sour. A crazy attack in the middle of the night? New dragon slayer's appearing and now this?" She motioned to the window. "A crazy thunderstorm and some strange person wielding lightning, who, according to you, is not a wizard?"

Footsteps came from the stairwell, and Erza picked up on Laxus and Natsu arguing. They were making their way down.

_Oh, this is perfect… _Erza thought.

"Okay…" Lion said as he sighed. "Your right… I owe it to you… so now can I please get something to ease the pain?"

Erza studied him for a second, reading his face. She could not see any of his previous snark or cleverness. He appeared honest right now, no more smoke and mirrors. "Okay…" Erza slid the bottle over but when Lion grabbed it, she held on. "On one last condition…"

Erza ignored Lion's eyeroll. "What is it?"

"You tell everyone… here and now… everything you know about what's happening… Because I'm pretty sure it's more than just a few people coming after Natsu. Something bigger is at play here, and you know what."

Lion thought this for a second, his red eyes seeming to glow. "Okay… deal…"

Erza let go and crossed her arms, her eyes closed in thought. She heard Lion gulp the liquor down fast, so when she opened her eyes the bottle was almost empty. "Jeez, I know a girl you'll get along with just fine…"

Natsu came down the stairs followed by Gajeel and Laxus, their eyes spotting both Erza and Lion.

"What's going on?" Laxus asked.

_Only Dragon Slayers? _Erza thought…

Natsu wasn't particularly big on being woken up in the middle of the night, but the feeling he had felt had startled the sleep from him. The air around Natsu's skin has somehow turned heavy, like if Natsu was hundreds of meters underwater. Natsu thought it might be magic power, but there was a difference to the pressure it applied to his skin, a sort of piercing and burning. Like if Natsu was being burnt by sunlight. So, imagine his surprise when he came out of his room to find Gajeel and Laxus speaking in the hall, both over the same topic.

"Did you feel it too, Natsu?" Laxus asked making his way over.

"Wait… you felt it too?" Natsu asked.

"Well, duh…" Laxus said looking over at Gajeel who was walking over. "It seems only the Dragon Slayers felt it… strange…"

Gajeel crossed his arms. "Any idea, Salamander? Has your special brother said anything about it?" Gajeel pronounced the word _brother _like _piece of shit_.

"No…" Natsu thought back. Speaking of Lion… where was he? "I haven't seen him since the games…" Weird, Natsu hadn't really paid much attention to it. He tried to remember, thinking back to after the elimination round of the Games.

Gajeel examined Natsu. "Woah, is that what he looks like when he's thinking?"

Laxus nodded, an eyebrow raised. "Yeah… it looks more like he's in physical pain. Using brainpower is very difficult for Natsu…" Laxus was referring to the steam coming out of Natsu's head and the struggling face Natsu had. "Just be patient?"

"Patient for what?" Gajeel grumbled. "Poor Salamander looks like he's 'bout to explode!"

"He'll either remember something…" Laxus touched Natsu's forehead, felling the overheat. "Or… well. He won't. It's not that complicated"

"Jeez… if he's ever going to find a wife… she's gonna have to be as much of an airhead as he is…" Gajeel said, making Lucy sneeze in her sleep.

Natsu then opened his eyes, an uncharacteristic serious look on his face.

"Oh!" Laxus exclaimed, his eyes widening. "He's found something…"

"I…" Natsu begun.

"He did it! He used his brain!" Gajeel said almost happy for this moment.

"Can't remember…" Natsu shrugged, an airhead aura around him.

Gajeel and Laxus facepalmed, "I don't know what I was expecting…"

"Come on, Natsu!" Laxus was shaking the Fire Slayer. "Think, man! The rest of tonight's sleep depends on it! I won't ever sleep again until I know!"

The sound of the front door opening grabbed their attention, the sound for the open entrance resonating with lightning and rain. "Someone's here…" Gajeel said.

The sound of stumbled footsteps and the Erza's voice.

"Let's go check it out…" Laxus interjected.

Natsu could already tell who it was, even through the rain and blood in him, Lion's scent was unmistakable. "Blood?" Natsu said, before making his way down the stairs, Laxus and Gajeel close in his heels. Natsu was the first down the stairs, his eyes focusing on Lion who was holding a bottle with one hand and his ribs with another.

"Natsu!" Lion exclaimed, stomping his cigar. "What are you doing awake?"

Natsu noticed Erza shot Lion a glance. "I felt some strange power and woke up…"

"Oh, yeah…" A glance at Erza. "That makes sense…" Lion went for the bottle, but realized it was empty. "Crap… well Natsu… I can tell you that what you felt wasn't magic…"

Erza and Natsu both looked surprised. "It... wasn't…?"

"What you felt… was divinity… magic, before it became magic…" Lion looked at Laxus, a skeptical look on his face.

"So…" Laxus said, stepping up. "I'm guessing this is our new member?"

"I've been in the guild longer than you, sparky," Lion said trying to get up, but winced and sat back down.

"No chance," Laxus begun.

"Hey!" Gajeel but in, pushing Laxus to the side. "I got a question for you, Blackie!"

Lion looked amused. "What is it, Iron Slayer?"

"How do you know Metalicana?" Gajeel was now standing over Lion.

"Oh, me and Iron go WAAAYYYYY back…" Lion said, remembering good memories. "He was so much fun to be around… Why do you want to know?"

"Like Igneel, Metalicana is Gajeel's foster father," Erza said, looking amused at knowing something Lion didn't. "You didn't know?"

Lion's gaze turned disgusted. "You!? No way! Nu uh, Metalicana would not like you… I thought you were a Shadow Dragon Slayer!"

"What does that mean?" Gajeel looked angry as his arm turned to steel.

"Just means… wow…" Lion looked at Gajeel's new iron covered limb. "Really?"

Natsu and Laxus had been watching this argument go back and forth like tennis, both of them sat down.

Gajeel continued. "Are you asking me to show you!?" His whole body was now turning to steel.

"No, no. I've seen enough," Lion looked around at Erza, who was also watching with content. "Well, it's just that… shit."

"Shit?" Gajeel said.

"Shit?" Laxus and Natsu mimicked.

"No…. My job might just be easier now." Lion remarked and got up, apparently the pain in his side not hurting as much. He studied Gajeel, standing eye level with the Iron Dragon Slayer. There was tension in between their stares as Gajeel pumped out his chest. He had a determined look in his face and a tense posture. "Christ man… you do look like Metalicana…"

"What?" Gajeel said. "I think you need to get yer eyes checked. Is either that or your lying! Because Metalicana is a dragon!"

"No, I'm not stupid…" Lion chuckled. "I can see it in your eyes… the same expression…"

Gajeel was suddenly not as angry. He's eyes had a longing look. "Wait, your serious…"

"Yeah…" Lion said sounding just as compassionate before leaning over… "Well, that and you both don't have any eyebrows…"

"AHHH! Don't TALK ABOUT THEM!" Gajeel hid his face.

Natsu saw Lion laugh, and for some reason he kept waving his hand in the air. Like he was patting nothingness. A thought came to his mind. He raised his arm, like a student asking his teacher a question.

"Yo! Hey, Lion?"

Lion turned to Natsu, a smile on his face while Gajeel rubbed his face saying: "I don't need no eyebrows…"

"What is it, Natsu?" Erza asked. Following his gaze, coming to the same conclusion.

"It's just…" Natsu shook his hand in the air. "If you're a Dragon Slayer like us… Where's your cat?"

That got Gajeel's second wind. "YEAH! I may not have eyebrows but at least I got a cat!"

Natsu waited, then regretted asking the question. Lion's charming grin was replaced with sadness for a second, but he quickly changed it. "Well, I mean… Laxus doesn't have a cat"

Natsu noticed Lion had pulled his petting hand back, and placed it in his coat pocket.

"I don't like 'em, they smell and are weird…" Laxus said.

"Yeah…" Lion said looking down. "I know…"

Natsu suddenly felt really sad for his brother. He didn't like seeing Lion like this. He was usually so strong and happy, not cold and brooding. Natsu (With great difficulty) made a note in his mind to not ask that question again.

Erza was tapping her foot now, looking rather anxious. What she said next she said reluctantly, like her mind was still on the previous comment. "Lion, we had a deal…"

"Oh, yeah. Right, right…" He sat back down. "So, you want to hear another story?"

Natsu nodded while Gajeel sat down by Laxus. All three of the Dragon Slayers paying attention. "Erza, do you mind passing me my bag?"

Erza stuck her arm out and Requipped Lion's bag from her storage dimension. Natsu figured he must have asked her to keep it safe for him. She passed it over to Lion and he reached into it, wincing and saying something about 'dam baby dragons…'. He then pulled out a small book, this one appeared much older than the one Erza had on her lap. "Any of you have any idea what this is?" He held it up for everyone to see.

All of them shook their heads.

"This book…" Lion tapped it with a gloved finger. "Hold's the entire history of the Royal Dragon Bloodline…" He scanned his crowd of three, stopping on Natsu. "Including Igneel…"

Natsu almost said something, but Lion stopped him with his next words: "Along with Kranley, Queen of the Lightning Dragons…" Lion looked at Laxus, then to Gajeel. "And Piedranna, King of the Earth Dragons…"

"What does that have to do with me?" Laxus asked. "I wasn't raised by a dragon,"

"Listen," Lion karate chopped Laxus on his head. "You got your Dragon Slaying magic from a lacrima, no?"

Laxus nodded, "So…?" He didn't sound so sure anymore.

"Well were do you think dragon lacrima come from?" Lion asks, but Natsu had a feeling it wasn't really a question. "Well from dragon blood of course…"

"What?" That's the first Natsu has heard of that. He never remembered drinking any of Igneel's blood. Looking around told him that Gajeel hadn't had a glass of Metalicana either. Erza was leaning in a listening intently, her ears captivating every word.

"It makes sense," Erza said, thinking. "Lacrima can be infused with magic, meaning that to create Dragon Lacrima… you would need a certain dose of Dragon's magical blood…"

"Okay, so I have some dragon blood in me…" Laxus continued, regaining some confidence. "That still doesn't mean I have some part in this,"

"Well, you have more than just _any _blood…" Lion opened the book, the pages making old book sounds. Laxus grumbled in expectation. "'_While the average lightning dragon sparks attacks the color of the sea…' _That's blue for those of us who don't see the ocean that much…" Lion said looking up, making sure everyone knew what blue was. He then continued reading.

"'_A standing quality of the Royal Lightning Dragon blood is the color of lightning it creates,'" Lion_ paused, taking a look outside at the storm, which appeared to have acquired a second wind. He then begun reading slightly faster. "'_Any Lightning Dragon that possesses royal blood while strike their enemies with lightning the color of the sun and with the speed of light…_And the rest is just mating patterns… weird…" Lion gave a strange look to Laxus. "Geesh… let's never read that part again…"

Natsu looked over at Laxus, who looked rather confused. "And, what is that supposed to mean? I'm Royalty?" The Lightning Dragon Slayer exclaimed almost laughing. "Oh, gosh… and here I thought you were going to say something scary…"

Lion sighed, looking at Erza. "Are all of you this thickheaded?"

Erza raised her hand in defense, "Hey, It's _your _family by blood… I don't share any genetic material with them…"

Lion murmured something like 'cheap shot,' and looked back at Natsu. "Well, anyway the big problem we have on our hands is that… all of you have Royal Dragon Slaying blood in you…"

"Me?" Gajeel said pointing to himself. "How do I have any relation to this? I'm an Iron Dragon Slayer…"

"And do please tell me, oh wise one…" Lion replied mockingly. "Where does iron… come from?"

Gajeel almost gawked at the revelation that the mineral iron came from the earth… "Don't patronize me…"

Lion chucked the book at Gajeel, "Read the page on the Earth Dragons family tree, you should find a familiar name…" The eldest Fire Dragon Slayer then proceeded to look out the window intensely.

Natsu peered over Gajeel's shoulder at the pages, not that he could help much since his reading wasn't much better than his iron counterpart. Natsu saw Gajeel move a finger down the family tree, stopping about halfway. A word that Natsu read as 'meatlana'. However, Gajeel whispered something else.

"It's Metalicana… He's a descendant Piedranna…" Gajeel said, referring to the name at the top of the page. "Hey! There's also another name in here… Ski… Skia… s-"

"Oh, give it here!" Laxus took it of Gajeel, apparently being the only one out of the three who could properly read. "Skiadrum… Why is that familiar?"

"That's Rogue's dad!" Natsu said, turning to Gajeel. "I can't believe it…" -Natsu was laughing through a hand- "your related to that depressed fuck…"

"Am not!" Gajeel screamed. "He's gotta be like married to some shitshow of a grandmother… there's no way he's related to Piedranna, let alone Metalicana…" Gajeel took the book back from Laxus, reading down the line again until her found Skiadrum's name. To the side it read: '_Direct descendant of Piedranna_'. Gajeel cried.

"Anyway…" Erza snapped all three of the dragon slayer's back to attention. "What does these three's blood have to do with the thunder outside…?"

Lion pulled another book from his bag, this one much larger and thicker. "This… is the history of…well I don't know how to put it…" On the cover of the book was a strange symbol Natsu had never seen before. It was bright gold and looked like the letter O, but instead of meeting nicely at the bottom it split in two directions, making it look like it had legs. "This… is what is causing all of this commotion…" Lion referred to the storm outside.

"The book?" Gajeel and Natsu said together, getting a tired look from Laxus.

"No…" Lion sighed. "I mean, what's inside the book…" After Lion received another blank stare from the dragon slayers (including Laxus) he continued. "Look… just hear me out…" Lion ditched the book, deciding that it wasn't worth the trouble.

Lion sat down and took a deep breathe, "What is happening outside, is the cause of our fore-fathers war…"

"Oh…. kay?" Erza said. "How are we in trouble?"

"I'll get to it…" Natsu noticed Lion was patting the air on top of his lap again, Erza noticed it too. "Way back, back before the numbers had an X before them… gods ruled the world"

Natsu's imagination took him back, while he might not have thought for numbers or words… Natsu could sure imagine. Maybe that's why he was such a good fighter? Anyway, he let Lion's words carry him away. A time before time appeared in Natsu's mind, as Lion described dragon's and humans coexisting in a very primitive era, before technology and science and magic ever crossed humanities path. He said a wide green world, a free world filled with life and joy.

"But this world did not now come without it's problems… no world is perfect…" Lion's tone became grave.

Natsu saw lightning strike the ground, water puncture the shores and fire roam freely throughout Earth land. He saw the god's in their palaces above the clouds. Shinning with knowledge and magic.

_Not magic, _Natsu remembered, _Divinity. _

Natsu say the unease in their eyes, a look a lot of people gave Natsu. Envy, Lucy had called it once, a while ago. The god's themselves delivered killing blows to humans and dragons alike, jealous of their free rein and carefree attitudes. Lion also mentioned something about god's and humans interbreeding… but quickly skimmed it when Erza asked a question. Natsu paid it no regard and saw the building tension on Earth land. He saw his father, Igneel, standing atop a mountain that pierced the clouds. He looked much younger, with not nearly as many scars on his body as Natsu remembered. He saw Igneel's wife, Kranley, standing with him, looking equally as imposing as she radiated yellow lightning. Behind them stood two more dragon's, and bellow them, climbing the mountain were hundreds of armored dragons and humans.

"The four-dragon kings had rounded up all the dragons and humans in Earth land in a rebellion…" Lion continued, pride in his voice now.

Natsu saw what stood oppose them in the mountain. The palace of the gods, _Olympians _as Lion referred to them. And on top of the highest tower stood the Olympians, waiting for the final showdown. Each god armed with plating to the teeth. However, what the Olympians did not see were the monsters climbing the mountain behind them, monsters that looked to be from hell itself.

"Our fore-fathers… made a truce with a very dangerous, yet benevolent primordial god…" Lion continued.

"An Olympian?" Erza asked.

"No, the deity of the very depths of the underworld." Lion looked nervous. An expression Natsu had never seen on his face before. "The Abyss… Tartarus…"

Natsu saw the deity embodied. A tall man covered in black with glowing red eyes and spiky black hair. He had sharp canines and a tail. Tartarus stood by the dragons, human's surrounding him, all of them possessing dragon slaying magic.

"Back then, we dragon slayers were not called Dragon Slayers… the magic back then was different… it was perfected by the Four Dragon Kings…" Lion looked at Natsu. "We were called Drakons,"

Natsu saw the mass charge, clashing with the Olympians on both sides. Natsu saddened at the massive casualties both sides endured… however. The Dragons, humanity and Tartarus came out victorious. Igneel having lost his wife in the fighting.

"And with the Olympians defeated, the Abyss swallowed them to his endless depths. In turn, ushering the age X…" Lion smiled. "The time we are in now…"

Natsu looked out the window, those creative memories replaying in his mind. "So, how are they back?"

"You can never truly kill a god… only weaken it to dust… It seems that with the dragons gone, they want their thrones back…" Lion said, looking out the window. "And the only way we stand at chance at keeping our freedom, is with the help of the Four Dragon Kings… or well to be more specific." Lion looked down at the trio. "You…"

"We are meant to fight gods?" Laxus thought back to Acnologia, and how useless all the dragon slayers have been. "How can we? If it took an army of dragons to fight them…?"

Both Gajeel and Natsu looked like they felt the same.

"Well… we need help..." Lion said.

"Tch, understatement of the millennium…" Gajeel said crossing his arms and thinking back to a certain blue haired mage.

Lion help up his hand, "We'll need the whole guild… but first… we need the fourth…"

"Fourth…?" Erza asked, then put the pieces together. "Oh… yes…" She looked at the ground.

Natsu thought about the fourth… who could it be? One of those obnoxious slayers he had met earlier in the Grand Magic Games?

"You don't happen to have a Sky Dragon Slayer… do you?" Lion asked.

Natsu jumped up… "WENDY!"

**Thank you all for reading this chapter, I hope you guys enjoy it. **

**Next Chapter, things kick off and the action is ramped up to a hundred! **


	6. Chapter 6 - Wendy and Hades

**I don't have much to say, I just hope you all enjoy this chapter. Takes place right after Chapter 5. Enjoy the show… **

**UPDATE: I do sincerely apologize for what happened last time I uploaded this chapter, I honestly have no idea what happened. So, I'm sorry for those who had to read it will it was messed up and thank you to FlameXFullmetal for pointing the problem out to me. Anyway, I hope this time it uploads properly.**

* * *

"WENDY!" Natsu cried standing up. "We have to get her! She's still in the infirmary with Porlyusica!" Natsu ran towards the front door.

"Natsu, stop!" Erza called out to him, "If this foe is as formidable as Lion says, we need a plan…"

"No battle plan ever survives contact with the enemy…" Lion quoted, but then saw Erza's _not helping _stare. "That's why we need multiple plans ma'am… Natsu get back here…"

Natsu agreed reluctantly, stopping with his hand on the door handle and turning around. "Fine… but let's make it quick…"

Erza stood up, Laxus and Gajeel deciding to follow suit. "Alright, Laxus, Gajeel… Get everyone awake. We need to form battle plans," Natsu almost pictured Erza as an army general, giving orders to her fellow soldiers.

Erza turned to Natsu, "Get me some tables together," She then turned to Lion. "I need to know if there's anything else? When are they attacking? Who? Where? I need answers, all of them! Now!"

Everyone sprang into action, Laxus and Gajeel heading upstairs making as much noise as possible. Natsu started running around, arranging expensive looking chairs and tables together to make a sort of central table space. Erza listened to Lion explain the gods, how many there were and where he most likely expected them to attack. The main twelve Olympians were a force to be reckoned with, Lion estimated each to at least be on par with the top five Wizard Saints. Erza was already worried, so imagine her distress when Lion begun talking about what he called 'Big three".

"Zeus, Poseidon and Hades… those are on another level entirely…" Lion said after having restocked on alcohol. "I don't know how to handle those… they completely unpredictable and all powerful. The storm outside… that's Zeus's doing…"

_Hades? Didn't we… _Erza thought, then stopped herself. There's no way it's him, we ended him at Tenrou. _Whatever… there's other things to worry about…_

"Won't Natsu and that be able to handle them? You did say they were Drakons or whatever?" Erza asked, "The Four Dragon Kings against the big three… That's how this battle is meant to go, no?"

"Yes… and no…" Lion replied, "It's very complicated," He took a deep breathe and winced, holding his side.

"Was that Zeus?" Erza asked. "Was he who you were fighting?"

Lion nodded. "He's got a special hate for me," -Lion chuckled- "There's a very funny story behind that…" He then proceeded to cough out blood into his gloved hand. "That's not good…"

"Why is it not healing?" Erza pressured Lion, standing up. Out the corner of her eye, Erza spotted Natsu looking at Lion's wound. She paid it no mind and made Lion lay down on the floor. She then knelt beside him with bandages in hand. Erza whispered. "I've seen you walk off an impaled sword without a problem… What's so different about this wound?" Erza went to clean the open wound, yet was electrocuted by blue sparks once again.

Lion put on a grin, reminding Erza of Natsu's. "I'll be okay with a little bit of medicine… sadly I don't think my brother Richard is here…" Something was off in his eyes, he looked tired and slow. No more clever or charming eyes, those red orbs were almost unfocused. "Hey, Shay… you mind getting me some of that wine you make? I really like it…"

_Shay?_ Erza was taken aback as Lion stared at her, his eyes unfocused. _He must be hallucinating… _

A shadow covered Lion, making Erza look up. Natsu was standing over his brother, he didn't look so happy. "What's wrong with him?" There was none of Natsu's casual cheeriness in that voice. Erza at first didn't know how to respond, but she quickly recovered.

"I… I don't know," Erza rubbed her temples with her fingertips. "The idiot didn't ever tell me…" _The stupid asshole, _Erza finished her sentence in her mind.

"Porlyusica… We need to get him to her…" Natsu said, making more sense that he usually does. He then reached for the wound.

Erza went to stop him, but stopped when she noticed no lightning pushed Natsu's hand away. Erza saw concentration on Natsu's face, he was trying really hard to do something. Erza heard a sizzling sound and Lion grunting. "Fuck, Ivar! A little warning next time…"

_Ivar? That's one of Natsu's brothers… _Erza thought. The tip of Natsu's finger was on fire, as he slowly dragged his finger across Lion's wound. Natsu took a knee, sweat on his face as he continued to close the wound. From Lion's lower ribs all the way to under his armpit Natsu sealed the hole. When it was done Natsu almost collapsed, Erza catching him right before he hit his head. "Natsu!"

Natsu smiled, "Hey, that actually worked…" The dragon slayer was cold in Erza's arms, thought he was quickly regaining body heat. "Funny, I don't know how I knew but I just did. I just know that won't keep him healed for long."

"How'd you do that?" Erza asked.

"I said I don't know," Natsu shook his head, apparently okay. He then stood up, a new type of spring in his step. "I just had a feeling, like from here," Natsu pointed to the center of his chest.

Laxus and Gajeel, accompanied by the rest of the crew came down the stairs, stopping Erza from asking anymore questions.

"Mm… What's with all the noise?" Juvia asked, still in her pajamas.

"I don't know, I just need more sleep…" Lucy replied rubbing her eye.

"Fishy…" I'm pretty sure you can guess who that was.

Laxus took the lead as all of Fairy Tail's Grand Magic Games teams filed into the room. "Where's Lion? We need him to fill everyone in on the situation…"

"Um…" Erza stepped back, hearing gasps from the little crowd. "He's not feeling up to it…"

Mira came up, "What's happened to him?"

Erza looked at Natsu and saw a silent plea. Natsu wanted to get Lion to Porlyusica as fast as possible, he wasn't really in the mood to wait for everything. But everyone needed to know what's going on. _Should I explain the situation? Or get everyone moving? _Erza's mind raced, a mile a minute. It was going through so many possibilities that she felt like it was going to explode. _We can't split up… I'm not taking that chance… not if everyone doesn't know what they are fighting against… _

A whisper to her ear made her turn around. 'Decide quickly, he doesn't have that much time left…'

"Who's there?" For a split second Erza felt someone else's body heat against her back. Then it was gone.

Laxus stepped up, "Erza, are you sure your okay? You've been acting weird ever since the preliminaries…"

"Yes!" Erza snapped back, not feeling to well. However, her mind was now all made up. _It must be the fatigue. _"This is what were going to do…"

Erza explained her plan to the group who listened intently. Jellal stayed behind, he was waiting for the rest of Crime Sorciere. After having argued with Erza for a while about whether he should stay or not, he had won out. A reluctant hug had been the last thing Erza felt from him that night. Erza could still feel his heat, even though he was already up the stairs, heading to his room.

When everybody understood their roles, Erza turned to Laxus. "Can you carry him?" She motioned to the passed-out Slayer, who was drooling and looking awfully comfortable for a guy who's just been dealt a mortal wound.

"Easy…" Laxus went over to the Dragon Slayer.

"Okay," Erza Requipped into her regular armor. She then looked at everyone around her. "You all know what to do…"

"Right!"

The heavy rain pounded against the door as Erza walked up to it. She then remembered their hostess. "Someone tell Aura were leaving…"

Gajeel perked up, "I already looked for her, she isn't anywhere…"

_Strange… _Erza turned to the youngest Fire Dragon Slayer, "Natsu? No more weird smell?" Erza asked.

"Not anymore Erza! I already told yah, now can we go?" The young Fire Dragon Slayer stood right next to Laxus, who had Lion still drooling on his back. Happy was curled up on Natsu's shoulder, still sleeping. Erza was sure Laxus had no problem with Lion's weight, however her heart almost melted when she saw Natsu keeping a hand on Lion's back supportively. Natsu also stood protectively, something he rarely ever did with outsiders.

_He considers him true family, _Erza thought, _it's weird… Natsu acts like he's known that man for all of his life. He treats him just like all off us. _She saw Gajeel looking at Lion too, some sort of weird feeling in his eyes. _Maybe I should too, _Erza said pushing the door open.

* * *

Once they stepped out into the rain, Laxus forgot all about the drool on his shoulder. All he felt was cold, the rain was the temperature of ice and felt like steel when it hit his skin. Above them, high in the sky, was what looked like a whirlpool of clouds. Colossal in size.

_I feel like my balls are going to freeze off… _Laxus thought as they ran through the streets of Crocus, weirded out by how dark and quite it was.

"Anything on the rain, Juvia!?" Erza called out from the front.

"I can't control it," It looked like Juvia could barely keep herself wet, let alone anybody else. "It's like something else is fighting against me…"

"Keep trying!" Erza replied keeping the pace.

Laxus looked around at their little group, everyone looked sluggish and tired. The cold numbing their bodies and making the slower. _Thank god I got my own personal heater… _Laxus said, referring to the Fire Dragon Slayer on his back. He then had an idea.

"Natsu! Can you give us some heat?" Laxus had to scream to make sure Natsu heard him over the rain and thunder. Even thought they were barely half a meter away.

Natsu considered this, then looked up to Laxus. "Okay! But I'm going to need to be the middle!"

Laxus nodded and they changed places, not a moment later heat radiated off Natsu as he set himself on fire. The temperature increased from _My balls are going to fall off _to _I'm in a freezer! _Not much, though it was better than nothing. As they ran through the streets of Crocus, Laxus noticed something was off about the city. It felt very empty. Like there was nobody there but them. A far cry from the bustling capital Laxus had experienced during the daytime. _I don't like it… It's too quiet… _

The Coliseum was coming up ahead, and Laxus could feel all of his guildmate regaining a second wind at the sight. They had been struggling, the cold eating away at their determination and latching unto their bones. They were all hoping to get under cover and away from the cold and the rain.

"There's the gate!" Erza called out, looking to her right where nobody was. She had done that often throughout their little adventure through the empty Crocus. Laxus had noticed that every time Erza looked to her right, she made a confused face, like something was calling her attention.

Laxus didn't like their chances of entering, since the entrance was locked by a massive steel gate that opened upwards. But they were very desperate in their attempts, especially since they wanted to get out of the cold.

After punching the gate for the millionth time, Natsu called out. "Were going to freeze out here if we don't get in!"

"Nah shit, Natsu…" Laxus replied sitting down, finally feeling the full force of the cold. His heater not providing as much warmth anymore. _That can't be good for him… _However, Lion appeared to be perfectly fine, snoring away on Laxus's shoulder.

Gajeel tried to take a bite of the gate, chipping a tooth. "AHH! That ain't steel!"

Laxus saw Lucy and Juvia shivering together. They appeared to have been the most affected by the cold, which was weird for Juvia since she was pure water. But I appeared she couldn't use magic, or at least not effectively. _'Magic before it became magic' _Is what Lion had said, _'Divinity'_. Laxus considered this as Erza looked around for another way in, still looking around randomly at times with an alarmed face.

Mira was by Laxus, looking at the injured man on his back. "He's so cold, not something good for a Fire Dragon, don't you think Laxus?"

Laxus agreed with a nod, feeling a warm trickle down his right side. He looked back, "Hey, Mira. You mind checking his right side, I think the wound might have reopened…"

"Oh, sure." Mira moved Lion's coat aside, exposing the deep gash in his undershirt and skin. "That's not good… the skin's pealed away. It's bleeding bad, Laxus. Ouch!" Laxus heard a zap.

Laxus felt a zap in his system. "Are you alright, Mira?"

"Yeah…" Mira had her pointer finger in her mouth. "When I tried to touch it, it zapped me…"

The air gained that intensity again, like pressure from being underwater. All the Dragon Slayers felt it first, grabbing their attention. "Something's coming…" Natsu called, stopping his assault on the gate.

"Yes," Erza said, apparently able to feel it too. She had stopped her frantic looking around. "Someone, I'm guessing…"

It grew heavier, as lightning started above them. The strikes like a spiderweb in the sky. Laxus could have sworn that in between lightning strikes, he saw a shape, barely a smudge from how far away it was. Like if someone was in the sky throwing the shafts of lightning to the ground. Then, Laxus saw the shape turn, looking straight at them. It drew its arm back.

"Hit the deck!" Laxus called out, throwing Lion and Mira to the ground, covering them with his body.

Everyone followed suit, dashing for cover. A second past before Laxus heard the high pitch sound and then…

***BOOM***

The sound of metal creaking and… nothing. Dirt fell on the back of Laxus, as he opened his eyes. "Mira, you okay?"

"Yes…" She replied, lightly pushing Laxus off her and standing up with his help. "What about Natsu's brother?"

Laxus only now remembered him. "Oh, um…" He looked down and winced.

Now, Laxus is big enough to cover Mira without a problem. However, Lion was almost Laxus's height and width… which made the endeavor a little more difficult. While none of Lion's vital organs had been damaged, Laxus was pretty sure a large piece of metal in his upper thigh wasn't good. Electricity curled around the metal, making the wound look even worse.

"Jeez, it's just not your day today is it?" Laxus said kneeling down to pick up the slayer who had nothing to say. All Lion did as he assumed his spot on Laxus's shoulder was snore like nothing had happened. Nothing much Laxus could do to help, pulling out the piece of metal would just increase the bleeding. Leaving the rod in there was the best choice since it sorta sealed the wound and stopped blood from leaving his body.

_Not like he has much left in him… _Laxus said, feeling barely any heat from the Slayer on his back anymore.

"He's getting colder…" Mira was touching Lion's neck, on her tiptoes. "We have to find a way inside…or he won't make it…"

Laxus hated hearing Mira tear up, stranger or not, he was a member of Fairy Tail. A fellow guildmate, and family. And Mira knew all too well how it felt to lose a family member. But what was Laxus supposed to say? That he cared for the bastard? Laxus wasn't to keen on lying, especially to Mira. This man didn't mean anything to Laxus, he hadn't fought at his side… he hadn't grown up with him. He wasn't family. He wasn't even related to Laxus, yet he'd still gone out of his way to protect him.

'_Don't you know? Blood types don't matter! Cause everyone in the guild are all supposed to be considered FAMILY!' _Natsu had told him so long ago.

A quick look through his memory reminded Laxus that Lion had a fairy Tail mark on his shoulder, or so Erza had said. That meant he was part of Fairy Tail, a part of the guild. He _was _family!

_Get out of my head, freaking twerp… _Laxus thought smiling and turning to Mira. "He'll make it, he's our family. We'll make sure of it!"

It must have been something in his eyes, because Mira all of a sudden looked reassured. She then turned to look for the others. "Yeah, your right…"

"Everyone alright!?" It was Gray, who was coming from behind a large rock. Juvia hanging off his shoulder looking extremely tired.

Everyone was mostly okay, with a few cuts and bruises. Laxus's button shirt was now completely ruined, the white now had a nice touch of shit color splashed everywhere. Mira didn't look much better in her purple dress, that was cut up and ripped in several places.

"I don't feel it anymore…" It was Natsu, who stood next to Erza. A deep breath led him to turn to the scarlet knight with surprised look. "Erza, you got that weird smell on you…"

Erza looked equally surprised, "I think your nose is acting up Natsu… It must be the weather,"

Natsu kept pressuring, "Mm… I don't know, the smells pretty strong."

"Hey, guys!" Lucy was pointing behind them, where the smoke was clearing. "The gate's busted! We can get in…"

Laxus followed her finger to where the gate laid in ruins, the inside looking awfully dry compared to the rainy outside. He looked back to the eye of the storm. The shape wasn't there, which was good because that means he couldn't seem them anymore. But they couldn't see him either. Either way, Laxus couldn't feel the pressure anymore. "Let's get inside and dry off, guys!" Laxus didn't want to find out anytime soon if the shape could see them or not.

Everyone nodded and the entered the Coliseum, all of them leaving a wet patch wherever they passed. The second he got out of the rain, Laxus exhaled a sigh of relief. It was warm and Laxus could already feel his skin drying, however, it would take a while longer for the cold to dissipate from his bones.

A sniff from Gajeel, "Alright! Now, which way to Wendy…" a deep breath and a deadly grin. The Iron Dragon Slayer then took of running. "This way!"

"Lead the way, Gajeel!" Erza followed and so did the rest of the group. Mira staying by Laxus's side as they ran.

It didn't take long for them to find Wendy's room. It was barely on hundred meters from the busted down entrance. When they arrived, everyone looked in much better shape.

_The rain must have divinity, or something…_ Laxus thought, and Erza opened the door.

* * *

The wondering warmth that had shadowed Erza since the inn, disappeared the moment she opened the door. She was expecting the Master and the rest of the guild to have been here. Or, well, hoped was a better word.

Instead only two shapes filled the infirmary room inside.

"Erza!" Wendy was sitting on a bed, her exceed, Carla, on her lap. No sign of Porlyusica. "It was you! I was so scared; we heard an explosion and then nothing. I'm was worried it was somebody else…"

Erza smiled and entered, everyone else following after her. Wendy's smile growing with every new person. "I can't believe it, you all came!"

Erza looked around the room, the chatter from Wendy and the others filling the room. No, Porlyusica behind the medical cloth that split the two beds. Panic was settling in, and Erza could see Natsu coming to the same conclusion. Their healer was somewhere else. Erza unconsciously looked at Lion on Laxus's back. He wasn't even moving.

"Wendy!" Natsu called out, a little urgently. Wendy replied, noticing his tone.

"W-what is it?" The little Sky Slayer was taken back. "Why are you yelling?"

"Where's Porlyusica, Wendy?" Laxus answered in a much more considerate tone, grabbing Natsu by the head and spinning him around. He then motioned with his head to Lion. "We need her help…"

Wendy looked down; Carla responded.

"She left, apparently she felt something was off…" At the sound of Carla's voice, Happy woke up. He flew from Natsu's shoulder. "Carla… your okay…."

"Did she way where she was going?" Natsu stood by Wendy. Meanwhile, Laxus settled Lion on the other bed.

"No… only that she had a bad feeling about the air. Something about it being heavy… I felt it too. Every time…" Wendy was on the brink of tears, she was scared.

Erza sat by Wendy, putting an armored arm around the young Slayer. "What happened?"

"There is something else in here…" Wendy was shivering, thought Erza suspected it wasn't from cold. "I don't know what it is… It can't see, but it can hear very well. It started walking about once Porlyusica was gone. It's got wings, and…" She choked up and Erza brought her into a hug. She motioned for Gray to close the door and put a finger up for silence. The next words Erza said were whispered.

"Shhh… it's okay Wendy. You don't have to say anything else." Erza rubbed her back as everyone else in the room whispered to each other. After a while of silence Wendy spoke again.

"We have to be quiet… I heard a few other wizards come out from their rooms…" Wendy wiped at her eyes and looked at Erza. "They… -another choke- it took them…"

"Okay…" Erza was now thinking properly again, she looked at Lion lying on the bed. She could see his gloved hand; with the blood he'd coughed up back at the inn. She thought of Natsu sealing the wound temporarily and an idea struck her. Wendy heals people… why had she not thought of it sooner?

"Wendy…" Erza whispered, realization of what she was doing showing on Natsu's face. "Are you up to healing somebody? Do you see that man on the bed?"

"Who is he?" Wendy turned and scanned the bed. Erza felt her stiffen. "He's barely breathing… I, I can't hear his heart…"

Natsu and Gajeel looked at each other. Apparently not having though to listen for Lion's vital signals. Natsu rushed over to Lion's bed and placed his ear on his chest. He fell to his knees. Then almost shouted, "Erza, I- I can't hear anything…"

"He's not breathing…" Wendy and Gajeel said. Erza's heart sank… From the corner of her eye, Erza saw Mira tear up and Laxus hug her. Lucy, Juvia and Gray had no reaction… they just stared.

"Wait… I can hear it, faintly…" Natsu said, making the room to go silent. His voice dropping back to a whisper. "He's alive…"

"Let me see him…" Wendy made her way over to the bed. Erza looked at Gray and Laxus, she then pointed to the door.

Erza whispered, "Look outside, make sure whatever Wendy was talking about didn't follow us."

They nodded in agreement, opening the door and making their way out.

"Lucy, Juvia, Mira… give me inventory. Check the whole room…" Erza said in a low voice.

"What are you going to do?" Mira asked.

Erza Requipped Lion's bag into her hand. "Going to search this for anything that can help us…"

Mira looked at her sympathetically. "What are you expecting to find?"

Erza sat on the bed, "Anything…" Mira went over to do her duty, opening and closing doors and drawers, counting how much of whatever is inside.

The bag was heavy in Erza's hand, it was black and like nothing she had seen before. It had three outside pouches and a large interior, with two main zippers to access the holding compartment that was split in half by a thick cloth. Erza stared at it, like Natsu's it was carried on the back and had two straps through where someone puts their arms through. Erza opened the outside compartments, she found a few knifes, a few sharpening stones and on the last one it was a metal canteen. Not really seeing how that would help Erza begun laying the innards on the bed. On the largest compartment Erza found books and clothes, she recognized a few books however one looked promising, with a red cross on the cover. She opened it and found Lion's cursive writing: 'Medical guide'.

"This is it!" she whispered; the warmth was back now. The heat hugged her back and appeared over her right shoulder. Erza paid it no mind and kept reading. She looked at the contents:

\- Cancer

\- STI's (VERY IMPORTANT)

\- Open wounds

\- Internal hemorrhage

\- Divinity

\- STI Part Two (THERES MORE!)

The list went on for another two pages, but the six she read where all in a different color. Erza almost cried out from happiness. She turned the book to the Divinity section. It was so nicely written and artistically modeled. If Erza hadn't known any better, she would have thought it was one of Porlyusica's books. Erza walked over to Wendy, "Here, I think I found something…"

Carla was the one who took the book, she begun reading. "Oh my, okay…" She read on, "Oh this is easy..."

Wendy looked over, healing magic coming from her hands. The Sky Slayer had already fully healed the metal bar that had impaled Lion's leg. However, her magic appeared to be doing nothing on the rib wound. "We need an elixir… I don't know what it is… I don't think we got any of it here…" Wendy sounded sorry. "And my magic isn't doing anything… it's like it dies before it touches the wound…"

"Okay…" Erza returned to Lion's bag. _One more pocket… _She unzipped the last storage.

Erza almost dropped the bag, what was inside shocked her so much. She couldn't believe what her eyes were seeing.

It was a baby dragon.

A cute little red dragon was curled up on itself. Sleeping with a little bit of smoke coming out of its nostrils every time it exhaled.

_What… what am I supposed to do with that!? _Erza thought, and she felt the heat by her side disappear again. _He-he's crazy, he's keeping a near extinct species in his travel pack… _She looked to the right, seeing a pouch that was slightly opened. Inside that pouch Erza could see glass holding liquid.

_Goddammit Erza, worry about the baby dragon once the big one is saved! _She grabbed the pouch and brough it over to Wendy. "Here…"

Wendy grabbed the pouch, "Wow, okay. thanks…" She looked in, pulling out different vials containing different colored liquids. Each vial was marked with a different parchment, each with a name written on it. Wendy stopped on a red colored one. "Erza, what's Chlamydia?"

Erza's eye twitched, especially since the vial was almost empty. "Um… nothing you need to worry your pretty little head about…" Erza tried for a smile.

"Okay…" Wendy said wholeheartedly, though Erza couldn't escape the look Carla gave her. Wendy pulled out another vial, this one was small and had a bright yellow golden liquid inside. On a white piece of parchment attached to the vial it read: Ichor, for Divinity.

"Yes, okay!" Wendy happily whispered, "How much do we need, Carla?"

Carla stood over the book and flipped a few pages. "It says here… a drop… apparently…"

Wendy looked at the tiny vial… it held two drops at most. "Were going to have to be careful…"

"Yes…" Erza replied.

"Do you need us to do anything, Erza?" said Natsu, standing by Gajeel.

Erza looked up, the youngest Fire Dragon Slayer had stolen the book from Carla and was frowning over the writing. He was trying to read, that wholesome Salamander. Erza knew how much Natsu hated words, yet he squinted at them with absolute determination, a slight vein showing on his forehead from concentration. Anything for his older brother, Erza guessed.

"What about a backrub? Will that help?" Gajeel said moving around Erza, "Maybe a nice neck massage? Or maybe yer really stressed… maybe a song, shubiduba!"

Erza had to stifled a laugh, "No…" She whispered. "Thank you, guys, but Wendy, Carla and I have got this…It's very delicate…"

Natsu and Gajeel looked downtrodden.

"Aye…ma'am," Natsu pouted, holding the medicine book over his head and sitting at a corner. "We're useless…"

"Shubiduba…" murmured Gajeel, sitting next to Natsu.

"It's here!" Laxus screamed from the other side of the door, making everybody stop and stand still. "Oh god! Ugly motherfucker!"

"I agree with you on that one!" Gray said, and Erza could hear his clothes falling to the floor.

The warmth shadowed Erza again, as if someone was standing right next to where she was sitting. She could now feel the pressure in the air, like magic power yet heavier. However, this time it felt weaker. Like it came from a lesser wizard than what they had encountered before.

"Natsu, Gajeel!" exclaimed Erza, not caring for discretion anymore. "You want to help, keep that thing from getting in!"

"Don't worry yerself, red!" Gajeel said making his way to the door.

"Oh, yeah!" Screamed Natsu, punching his palm. "I've been itching for a fight! I'm all fired up!"

"Be careful!" It was Wendy, her shaking had returned. More violent now. "Magic doesn't work on it…"

"So? I'm plenty strong even without magic!" Natsu said, his usual reckless tone now back. A grin pulled his mouth up, showing sharp canines. "Just stop that shaking, will you? There's nothing to be scared about, I mean… your surrounded by friends, you don't have anything to fear!"

Lucy and Erza smiled, fond memories returning from their battle with Hades, from Grimoire heart.

Wendy reddened, the shaking stopping. "Yes, your right…" Wendy smiled for the second time since they had arrived. "Thank you, Natsu…"

The warmth by Erza intensified exponentially. She was sure someone was there, but when she turned again, she found nothing. Nothing but empty space.

"See? Nothing to fear…" Natsu said, following Gajeel out the door where more shouts from Laxus and Gray echoed.

"Now… Wendy…" Erza said, "Let's do this…"

* * *

Natsu didn't know what he was expecting, but it certainly wasn't what was in front of him.

When the door shut behind Gajeel and Natsu, they spotted Laxus and Gray a few meters away. They were in battle stance, with lightning and ice crackling about. Gray already down to his boxers. However, that wasn't what was weird, it was their enemy.

From above Gray's shoulder, Natsu could see the face of a beautiful woman. However, as he approached more, he saw the problem. From the neck down she was…

"It's a… chicken?" Natsu asked, skidding to a stop. "Or… _she_ is a chicken?"

"Ahhh! What the hell is that?" Gajeel said, "Why it looks like dinner?"

Gray attacked first, "**ICE MAKE: HAMMER!**" He slammed down his weapon on the chicken girl, or was it chick? Natsu didn't know. What surprised Natsu more was that upon impact the ice hammer shattered.

"Nullification magic?" Laxus said, his lightning dying away.

"Wendy said something about magic not working on it!" Natsu had regained his composure and begun charging. "So were going to have to use our fists!" He closed on the chicken woman, his legs pushing him to inhuman speeds.

Right before Natsu could make contact, the chicken moved with remarkable speed. One second it was in front of Natsu, the next it had kicked him into the wall. "Ouch! The hell?" Natsu hadn't even blinked.

"Natsu!" Gray said, "Oh, your gonna pay for that!" He rolled up his non-existent sleeves and charged, only to meet the same fate.

"That's enough!" Laxus approached more cautiously, fainting punches and kicks. The bird-girl dodged and ducked, evading Laxus's attacks.

"Pok?" The bird said, "Pok…pok" It narrowed its eyes. "POOOOK!" Charging Laxus, it headbutted him way down the hall. Leaving Gajeel standing by himself, his appetite for fried chicken suddenly gone.

"You know, I don't even like chicken…" Gajeel noticed Natsu sneaking around behind the enemy, his fingers in ninja form. They locked eyes and communicated through their gaze. Gajeel nodded. "I love it!"

That appeared to get the thing angry, because it charged Gajeel with vicious intent. "Ahhh! I take it back!"

Natsu struck, surprising the enemy into a headlock. "Stop moving, I'm going to eat you!" Natsu said, before the monster spread its wings. "Uh oh…"

The chicken took off so fast, Natsu felt his skin pull back. They were flying down the halls of the medical branch in the Coliseum, thankfully it was a circle so Natsu saw blurs of black (Gajeel), yellow (Laxus) and blue (Gray) a few times. The chicken flew around the circumference of the Coliseum three more times, crashing into the sealing and walls trying to get Natsu of it. However, Natsu held on tight, his grip tightening more on its throat. Eventually, the chicken faltered just enough for Laxus to pull it down from its flying. After it hit the ground Laxus, along with Gajeel and Gray jumped on top of it.

After about ten seconds of struggling with the chicken, the members of Fairy Tail removed themselves from the monster. The chicken lady lay flattened, its limbs twisted at unnatural angles.

"Did we… Get it?" Gray said, breathing heavily.

"I... think so…" Natsu replied, kneeling down and poking its wings. The feathers were disheveled and its eyes were unfocused. "You reckon we can still eat it?"

"I'm not eating that… No way, man." Said Laxus, looking for his shirt.

The other wizards agreed and left Natsu to play with the chicken. "Ah, whatever…" Upon closer examination, Natsu found strange markings on the creature. Some of them looking like the sign on Lion's book, the others appearing like burn scars in the shape of a trident. Natsu, after smelling it a few times, decided that not even _he _was so hungry as to eat it. The young Fire Slayer stood up begun walking back to Wendy's room. The other wizards had already entered.

However, as Natsu reached for the door the pressure in the air returned. This time almost strong enough to make Natsu buckle. He held his head as he fell to one knee, the pressure intensifying. The sound of steel hitting rock drew Natsu's attention. He looked behind him to see a shape clad in black. The shadows appeared to gather around the man. He was tall and muscular, with eyes the color of magma and hair as dark as obsidian. The man stood over the dead monster, a weirdly shaped spear in his right hand. The cause of the sound that drew Natsu's attention.

"So… It appears there are some still left…" The man said, the pressure in the air making Natsu sweat. It reminded him of the feeling Guildarts had given him at Tenrou Island. Pure power oozed from this man, yet it appeared like it was part of the air. Like the air around this being pulsated at his presence.

_Some of what? _Natsu thought, looking up and meeting the man's lava eyes. Natsu was trembling with fear now, his usual courage draining from him. This person before was on par with Guildarts… maybe even more. But, unlike Guildarts, this man showed no love in his eyes when he stared at Natsu.

"Oh, don't look at me like that… surely you know who I am?" The man spread his arms and stepped on the corpse, putting his full weight on the dead beast. "Uh, hello? Underworld to mortal! Are you even listening?"

Natsu managed to stand up and speak. The weight of his body feeling unbearable. "I-I don't know you…"

The man rolled his eyes, kicking the corpse a few more times. "Oh, come on… really? Hasn't that dumb brother of yours taught you anything?" Another kick brought a slight squeal from the chicken lady, the man was stepping on one of its more damaged wings. It, apparently, was still alive.

Natsu didn't respond, he just stared and the man twist his foot harsher on the beast.

"Well, boy? Talk!"

"No! I don't know you!" Natsu was feeling anger grown inside of him, mistreating anything wasn't something he fancied.

"Ahhh… got a fire in our bellies, now don't we?" The man stepped off, the pressure changing. It was now more like anvils pressing to Natsu's bones.

Natsu heard his named called from the inside, Lucy.

"Oh, I forgot what Zeus sent me here for… Oh, what was it?" The man was now slowly approaching Natsu, holding the bridge of his nose in a thinking pose.

"Natsu!?" Natsu hear Lucy approach the door, however Natsu leaned his heel against the door, stopping it from opening. Natsu had a feeling a few inches of wood wasn't going to protect her if this turned into a fight, but it reassured him that the man might not know he had friends behind the entrance. Natsu felt Lucy push against the door, "Huh?".

"Oh! Yeah, now I remember! I'm meant to get a hostage…" Towering over Natsu, the man placed a hand on his shoulder. "Was it the younger brother? Whatever, my Harpy said it was you so it must be right…"

"Harpy…?" Natsu said, Lucy pushing her whole weight against the door.

"Hey, guys! The door won't open!"

More chatting from inside.

"You're not taking me anywhere…" Natsu said, fire bursting around him. The man pulled his hand back nonchalantly, looking at the perfect skin covered in flames.

"This must be what you mortals call magic, the descendant of Divinity…" Making a fist, the man smiled and stepped back. Golden flames danced on the man's hand, eating away Natsu's fire. "Nothing compared to Divinity, I'm afraid…"

"**FIRE DRAGON…**" Natsu pulled his fist back. _This must be one of the Big Three Lion mentioned… If I can take him out… _

"Please don't…" A click of the man's fingers and Natsu's fire dissipated. "It was a pain locating you… don't tempt my patience…".

The wall behind Natsu crashed open, and Erza flew out, a strange blade in her hand. She stabbed at the dark man, he went to stop it with his hand, however it cut straight through making him stagger back and hold his damages limb protectively. "What is this!? Cursed steel?!"

"Erza!" Natsu said as the Knight landed, Natsu made out her weapon to be one of Lion's swords.

"I figured since magic doesn't hurt them… then this should… or at least that was my thinking…" Erza appeared to struggle with the blade's weight, she held it with both hands and Natsu could see her muscles tensed harshly. "Turns out I was right…"

"Dammit!" The man said brandishing his weird spear. "I'll kill you, girl!"

"Come and try, Hades!" Erza replied and dashed at the tall man.

"Oh!" They clashed weapons, parrying and stabbing rapidly. "Someone's educated!"

Natsu decide to join it, however when he stepped up his world spun around him. He landed on his back, pink har framing his view. "What the? That's not mine!"

A face came into view, it was the woman from the inn Aura. "Don't do anything foolish Natsu, you have no god slaying weapon!"

"Aura? What are you doing here!?" Natsu stood up, looking up at former inn keeper.

"No time to- "Aura begun but was launched into the air, Natsu and Erza following after her, flying for some reason. The air had become violent, flying around the large corridor fast enough to push thick stone bricks.

"I've had enough playing…" Hades spoke, his hand on the ground where black power emerged, pushing the trio back. "I'm taking the pink-haired little shit, now!"

Natsu tried to stand up, but was kept on the ground by some invisible gravity. Looking over, Natsu could see Erza struggling to get up her face twisted in anger. Aura, somehow, had managed to get to her feet, and as Natsu watched her she pulled out two thick leather clad iron grips. "What are you doing?" asked Natsu.

Natsu saw Erza's face change into recognition as she laid eyes on Aura. Erza spoke up, a smile emerging on her face. "Ley… It's Ley!"

"Ley?" Natsu looked at the pink haired woman, his mind putting the pieces together. "As in like _my _Ley!?"

Ley smiled, and with the click of a button her grips turned into full size axes. The blades beautifully designed and the color of steel. "Been a long time, Natsu… glad to see your growing up well…"

Not knowing what to say, Natsu decided to let his actions speak. _Come on! Get up Natsu! _

"Uohhhhhh!" Natsu forced himself unto his two feet, fire dancing around his skin. "I'm fired up!"

"Never change, do you?" Ley turned her eyes to Hades, "Now, what are we going to do about you?"

"You…" Hades looked at Ley with anger in his eyes, "I killed you…"

"Yeah, you did…" Fire now danced around Ley, the same color as Natsu's. "However, ain't no grave can hold a Fire Slayer for long… you should know that,"

The air pressure was changing, something about Ley's flames reminded Natsu of Igneel's. The pressure turned into energy that fueled Natsu's magic power, making him smile form pleasure. "Let's get him!"

And just like that, the fight broke out. Erza dashing out of the way and back into where the rest of the team was watching, all of them held down by Hade's black power. Hade's dashed first, his spear aimed at Natsu's chest. Ley intercepted the attack with her axe's crossed. "Natsu!"

"I hear yah!" Jumping above his sister, Natsu gathered fire above him in his hands. "**FIRE DRAGON: BRILLIANT FLAME!**" The attack caused the entire building to shake and a whole to open up on the side of the Coliseum. Smoke now clouded the inside, making Natsu and Ley cough. The pressure was gone.

"Did I get him?" Natsu asked fire still exhaling from his skin.

"No, he's still there…" Ley said, and like she commanded him, they heard Hade's voice.

"**RISE!**" Concrete bellow Natsu split open, revealing a ravine with skeleton's crawling out. They jumped at Natsu who swatted them away, causing them to break. However, they just reformed and continued attacking. "Bring me the boy!"

"Natsu!" Ley was slashing more skeletons away, thought hundred begun crawling from the opening. Now that the pressure was gone, the other Fairy Tail members joined into the fight, elements and spells flying through the air. Natsu tried to burn the skeletons away, however every time one touched him, he felt himself grow weaker. Eventually, Natsu couldn't feel his feet and collapsed… the world going dark around him.

* * *

Erza slashed her millionth skeleton away. Normal weapons and spells worked on Hade's underlings, however not that it helped much. They were quickly being overwhelmed, even with Laxus and Mira in the fight. Erza had left Wendy to take care of Lion, who was still unconscious, hopefully that would be enough.

"**REQUIP: PURGATORY AROMOUR!**" Clad in black scales, Erza swatted Hade's minions away with her spiked mace. Spotting Natsu in trouble, she fought her way over to the unconscious Slayer. _What happened to him? _

"**FIRE DRAGON: ROAR!**_**" **_Ley's incantation filled the room, and the hallway was cleared of any monster. Leaving Natsu to fall unto the ground head first. Erza winced as she saw a bruise already forming.

"Leave, Hades…" Ley was speaking, her voice filling the room. "This is between you and me, leave Natsu out of it!"

"Oh, but the king has asked for him." Hades was back into cocky, mischievous form. "And you, of all people, know you can't tell him no…"

Erza saw Ley tense and Hade's comment. "Gosh, you're really annoying you know… It happened once!"

"Oh, but you enjoyed it so much… sleeping with a god. It felt magical didn't it?" When Hades spoke, Ley charged with unimaginable speed. Erza didn't even see the axe swing before Hades was sent flying into the sky.

The world appeared to calm down as the rain fell in through the gaping hole on the wall Natsu had made. It was tense for a few seconds, before Erza spoke up. "Did you-"

"Not a word, girl!" Ley snapped her axes back into hilt form and stuffed them into their holsters at her hip. "Goddammit, just take care of Natsu…"

Erza rolled her eyes, _They're all asshole… _ The Knight the proceeded to make her way over to Natsu. He wasn't to badly hurt, what scared Erza was how cold her was, she also didn't feel any magic from his body. Marks were left on Natsu's body from where the skeletons had touched him, purple marks everywhere from his calves to just above his eyes.

"What's wrong with him?" Laxus came up, everyone else was sitting down from the fight, some of them breathing heavily with the same purple marks on them. It seemed the power draining affected everyone.

"I don't know, just get me Wendy…" Natsu was by far the worst affected, the skeletons had been after him after all.

"Aight…" Laxus made off to carry out his order. Erza was left holding Natsu and looking at his older sister. She didn't appear too happy, her arms crossed and her pink eyebrows low over her eyes.

Erza, back in her normal armor, walked up to the woman. She left Natsu with Lucy who placed his head on her lap. Right now, Erza needed answers, and with two Slayers unconscious, Ley was the only source.

Standing next to the tall woman, Erza crossed her arms and took a deep breath.

"Not a word to Lion…" Ley spoke up first, looking down.

"I'm sorry? You're asking for a favor right after telling me to shut up?" Erza replied, she was a little angry too with the whole not knowing anything. "Really?"

"Look, I'm sorry okay?" Ley looked over at Erza, her eyes the same onyx as Natsu's. "It's just that if he found out, I'll never hear the end of it. Christ, what was I thinking going off with Zeus,"

Erza heard the regret in Ley's voice, and even though Erza was angry and anything Fire Slayer right now, she could understand and sympathize with annoying teammates. "Fine, I promise I won't tell him…"

"Really?" a small smile creeped up on her face, "You mean it?"

"Yeah, I've got a bone to pick with the guy later anyway. He's a little… different," Erza shaking her head lightly.

"You mean a dumb alcoholic drug addicted fool?" Ley replied, and Erza almost smiled.

"I wouldn't put it like that… more like stubborn and maybe a little alcoholic." Erza was holding back a laugh. "He reminds me of Natsu in some ways…"

"Oh, don't start that…" Ley rolled her eyes, "Ivar used to say that all the time… gods they are not the same!"

"What makes you say that?" Erza asked, feeling a familiar heat ooze from Ley.

_Invisibility… should have guessed… _Erza thought as her and Ley chatted for a while. Agreeing upon how annoying Lion was and how nice and compassionate Natsu was. They were so caught up in the chat that they didn't even notice everyone else move behind them. All of the team recuperated, to one hundred percent and Natsu was slowly regaining consciousness. The sun broke through the clouds, shining right unto Ley's eyes. They had made it through the night.

After a comfortable silence, Erza asked one of the questions she had been holding back. "Will they be back?"

Ley didn't reply right away, she just looked down again. Something Erza had related to Ley being in deep thought. "Yes, right now the gods cannot be out in the sun. Something about Igneel placing a charm over day… But as they regain strength, more hours of the day will be available to them."

Erza sighed, "Will we make it through tonight?"

"I don't know…" Ley said. "We need to get Lion back into the fray if we want to stand a chance…"

"I thought you said he was completely incompetent?" Erza said, drawing a chuckle from both women.

"Yeah, at being human…" Ley's tone grew serious. "Though, as strong as I am… He's heads and shoulders above all of us… He's the firstborn,"

"I didn't feel that much magic power form him…" Erza said, "He's probably on par with me, not 'head and shoulders'"

Ley smiled, "Let's just say he's got some tricks up his sleeve… all of us do, including Natsu"

"Yeah… he does, doesn't he?" Erza continued, "What's going to happen to the Grand Magic Games?"

"Cancelled… since Crocus is empty of people right now…" Behind them, Natsu had regained use of his legs, though was having trouble walking. Meh, problem for later.

"Master Makarov isn't going to like that…" Erza sighed, disappointed once again. "He was hoping to get the prize money…"

"Don't worry, I'll talk to him!" Ley said, "Now, let's clean up this mess…"

"Alright," Erza sighed, she wasn't mentally ready to tackle Natsu and Lion, but she would have to try. Get everybody ready for whatever is going to happen the next night.

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**UPDATE: I APOLOGIZE AGAIN, I'M TRULY SORRY. I HOPE YOU GUYS CAN ENJOY THE CHAPTER NOW THAT IT'S BEEN UPLOADED AGAIN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. **

**THANK YOU ALL FOR READING, I HOPE YOU ENJOYED. PLEASE PM ME OR REVIEW, I LOVE FEEDBACK AND TO SEE IF YOU GUYS ENJOY THE STORY OR NOT. HOPE YOU ENJOYED. ;) **


	7. Chapter 7 - Nike's Champion

**He****y guys, welcome to another chapter of Fairy Tail and The Olympians. Feedback would be greatly appreciated in the form of reviews if some of you wish to leave me some.****It would be greatly appreciated and really motivate me to write more often. Anyway, I hope you guys can enjoy this chapter. Thank you**

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There was a rather joyful atmosphere as Erza sat by Lion's hospital bed. On her orders the rest of Team Fairy Tail had left to regroup with Master Makarov. Natsu, Wendy, Carly, Ley and Erza had stayed to look over Lion. Ley had said that he was to fragile to move until he woke up. So, to give Lion enough time wo come about, Erza scheduled to rendezvous back at Sleeper's Demise around midday. As morning sun stretched high above Crocus, Erza could spot more and more people appearing on the streets, the capital city appearing more like how it had when Fairy Tail had arrived. However, the more Erza stared the more she noticed the wrong. People down at street level appeared confused and disoriented, some crying. Erza quickly recalled how they had not spotted anybody on the way to the Coliseum.

Even if it was night… a bustling city like this should have had SOME late-night walkers out and about. Erza said, still spectating Crocus through the gaping hole in the Grand Magic Game's Coliseum. Natsu had gone all out in his attack against Hades, yet the god had merely brushed it off. Natsu was a formidable opponent, though for someone to just walk off an attack from him… it sent shivers down Erza's spine. Natsu's voice made Erza turn around to check on the commotion.

"That's your natural hair!?!?!" The youngest Fire Slayer was in deep conversation with his eldest sister, whom, somehow, had begun a small fire and found meat to cook.

"Sure is," Ley spoke, wearing a chef's hat that had appeared from nowhere. "Why? You thought it was fake?"

Natsu was rocking back and forth, sitting cross-legged. "I'm just surprised, it feels amazing to have somebody who looks like me… but not exactly like me… that's weird," He said referring to his Edolas counterpart. "How many more of us have pink hair?"

"Let's see…" Ley was now seasoning the meat, as she slowly rotated it. "Ivar, Seve… you could argue Beatrix has pink hair…"

Erza felt a pang of jealousy at Natsu's enthusiasm, then she saw his smile and forgot all about it. Natsu had only smiled like that on a very few times… it was a smile he only gave when he was around Fairy Tail members. When he was around family only. Jealousy quickly turned to happiness as Natsu's contagious smile spread over Erza.

Better leave those two for a while, at least this Dragneel doesn't keep secrets… Erza walked into the medical room where Wendy and Carla were watching over Lion. Unlike a certain person…

"How's he doing?" Erza asked standing over Lion's sleeping from, all wounds had healed though the one caused by Zeus had left a nasty scar. Apart from that, Lion slept soundly and silently.

Carla looked up to Erza, "His vitals are fine, he just keeps muttering names. He begun spasming once the fighting broke out. Wendy can heal him physically, but his mind is another matter. It's in shambles…"

"Thank you for taking care of him, go outside… I think Ley is making something to eat," Erza said, "I'll take up watch here…"

"Are you sure?" asked Wendy, dark circles under her eyes from lack of sleep. Erza nodded.

Once Wendy left, Erza let herself relax. She sat down and let out a long sigh of relief, then reached into Lion's bag. I need to know more… She pulled out a random book.

Expert's Guide to Decapitation by Lion Dragneel.

And quickly placed it back, Christ this guy had no humanity left in him now did he? Erza sleepily stared at Lion and wondered how he was related to Ley… let alone Natsu. He was covered in scars and burn marks from god knows what, along with a tattoo that ran from his right pectoral all down his right arm. Looked like it was inspired by flames or something, Erza didn't really care.

What am I going to do with you? Erza thought to herself.

"Not kill me would be a start…" said Lion, his voice rougher than usual.

Erza almost jumped up from shock, "Your awake… finally,"

Lion sat up, his muscles clenching in response. "What did I miss?"

Where to begin? "Oh, nothing much… just Hades showed up…"

"I see…" Lion's nose twitched, and "We have a guest…" The temperature in the room increased as Lion stood up and headed for the exit, his face a mask.

"Yeah… wait, what's with the face?" Erza followed after him, "What's wrong?"

Lion kicked open the door as he put a black shirt on, his heavy footsteps echoing throughout the Coliseum halls. Erza saw his back expand as he took long deep breaths. She walked around and saw him staring at Ley, who was feeding Wendy a piece of meat. Ley regarded Lion's entrance with strained features, their eyes meeting and staying locked for a while. Natsu looked back on forth between his older brother and sister in such a way that Erza could picture them truly being regular siblings. The older siblings fighting while the younger followed after, just enjoying the experience.

"I'm taking you have many questions…" Ley begun, Wendy's mouth still open expecting her share of the food.

"Questions?!" the ground appeared to shake as Lion talked, "I think we're a little past questions Ley!"

"Calm down, what's wrong with you?" Ley's face was still tensed, though she was doing her best to keep a smile. "Not like I'm the first one to disappear… Remember when you were gone for a hundred years?"

"This is different!" Lion exclaimed, and Erza could see flames in his hair.

That snapped Ley, she dropped her plate and stood up walking right up to Lion and looking up at him. "How? Cus' it's me?! Because baby sister wanted to have some space?"

Lion crossed his arms, "It's my job to protect you Ley, think of father! What would he do if I told him your dead?" Lion's then talked with the most sympathetic voice Erza had ever hear him speak in. "He's already lost six of his children… I don't know what one more will do to him…"

This seemed to stump Ley for a second, her face showing deep thought. Natsu and Wendy, apparently seeing the seriousness in the discussion, tried to eat in silence. After a few more seconds anger returned to Ley's features.

"I'm two hundred years old! You and father should know that I can take care of myself! I don't need big brother looking out for me," Ley pushed Lion away and unholstered one of her hilts, expanding into axe form. "And I'm willing to prove it!"

Erza decided she needed to do something, as much as Lion seemed fine… Erza had a feeling he was putting on a strong act. Ley was fresh and was a deadly fighter, she was going to split Lion in half. "Guys!" They didn't hear her at first, so she put more seriousness in her tone, "Hey!!"

Crimson and onyx eyes turned to Erza and she literally felt the electric power from their gaze. However, she stood her ground and kept speaking, "Why are you acting like children? Don't we have bigger problems at hand? You know… like Olympian gods that want to murder us? And you're here, arguing…" And to finish it off, "I expected more from high and mighty matured Dragon Slayer. Way to set an example to the younger generation!" Erza pointed at Wendy and Natsu who didn't seem pleased to be in the spotlight.

Ley, being the most reasonable one, backed off first. Still staring daggers at Lion, she holstered her weapon. "She's right… think of Natsu…"

Lion didn't say anything, he just backed off and entered the infirmary room. Erza watched him walk off, the heat ceasing. "Jeez, what's wrong with him?"

"An overprotector…" Ley said and sat back with Natsu and Wendy. "You're were right Erza, we have more pressing matters. First, we need to get you all god slaying weapons… without them you won't stand a chance,"

Natsu spoke up, suddenly interested in the conversation. "Oh, like your axes?"

Wendy just watched passively eating food, Carla using a smaller spoon.

"Precisely," Erza sat near as Ley extended one of her axes. "You will all need at least one of these. It's the only thing that can damage those of divinity…"

"Where do we find them? If you don't mind me asking, Mrs. Ley," Wendy spoke up.

"Of course, questions are encouraged!" Ley patted Wendy's head. "They are extremely rare, youngling. They are made of Cursed Steel…"

"I'm guessing you can't buy that from your everyday merchant…" Erza said, hoping for some good news.

Ley shook her head, "In fact, I don't think many even make them anymore…"

"Then how do we get our hands on some?" Natsu asked with a mouth full of food, earning a glare from both Erza and Ley. He immediately swallowed his food.

"The capital building of Crocus, Mercurius. Bellow there lies what the Princess Hisui will describe as the Capital of Death or Abyss Palace. In reality, it's the old entrance to the underworld…" Ley leaned back, "Oh, Hisui… might pay you a visit…" Ley appeared to be talking more to herself than to others, her long pink hair covering her sharp features.

"You've met the princess?" Wendy spoke.

Ley snapped back to attention, "Yep, me and her are what you can call old friends. I saved her and her pops awhile back from an assassination attempt."

Wendy and Natsu 'Woooooowed' at this, Erza just counted up how much more she liked Ley than Lion. Thinking back to what Ley had said, Erza came to a conclusion. "Were going to visit the underworld…"

Ley nodded, "Bingo,"

"Easy, we'll just go in there…" Natsu stood up, "Grab the weapons and then kick the God's ass!"

"There will be no 'we'" Lion's voice echoed, now back to its normal monotone. Erza and everyone else turned to look. Lion was back to his black coat and had his swords draped across his back. "I will retrieve the weapons… nobody else…"

Ley laughed, leaning back and supporting herself with her arms. "Oh, please Lion… admit it. You're not your old self… you won't last long in the Underworld. Let alone Tartarus…"

"I'll be fine," Lion placed his backpack on and grabbed some of the meat that Ley had made.

Ley sighed, her next words deadly calm. "Ever since you lost Shay, you've lost your edge… You need rest, Lion, you need to grieve. A fight isn't going to get rid of the pain in your chest."

Shay… one of the names Lion had murmured while unconscious, Erza remembered him sprawled out on the inn floor, blood on his hands and on his mouth.

Lion stopped his eating. He looked at Ley and Erza could see another fight breaking out. Instead the eldest Fire Slayer walked away, "What I need is a good fight to get me back in shape…"

Ley smiled, "You need a freaking girlfriend…" she said looking behind at Lion walking away. He looked back and for a second Erza thought she saw a light smile. Though it was hidden rapidly. Erza could almost picture Ley and Lion as a loving brother and sister playing together when they were younger. Almost.

"Fine, whatever. If you want to come, finish up quickly here." Lion said, his shadow fading into the darkness of the halls.

"That's the best we're going to get from him… let's go guys…" Ley stood up, "We have a rendezvous in approximately two hours…"

"Okay, wrap it up here" Erza said.

The walk back to the inn was slow and silent. Natsu and his family's figures clearing a path around the masses of the Crocus population. The people parted around them like water around a rock, all of them with their eyes unfocused and dreamy. "What's wrong with them?" Asked Natsu, looking to his right at Lion who did not answer, he had an intense look in his eyes. Like he was thinking something very diligently.

What's wrong with him? Natsu asked and looked back when Ley talked.

"Their souls have been imprisoned by Hades; the gods need slaves to build them their future home,"

"It's creepy," Wendy said holding Carla. "I don't like it…"

Ley placed a protective arm around Wendy, a smile on her face. "Yeah, I don't think they like it that much either…"

They walked past an alley and Natsu's nose twitched. "Hold on…"

Everybody in Natsu's group stopped. "What's wrong, Natsu?" asked Erza "You smell something?"

Natsu took a deep whiff, the smell of blood filling his lungs. "Yeah, I think somebodies hurt over there." Soon after, Wendy's nose twitched too.

"I smell it too," Above Wendy, Ley took a smell of the air, a disappointed look on her face.

"That's weird, I don't smell anything…"

Lion pushed past and walked into the alley. "Your nose hasn't worked properly ever since Beatrix hit you with that log…"

Natsu felt a familiar heat radiate from Ley. "What's he talking about?" Natsu asked as all of them followed, Erza and Lion leading the way.

Ley, still holding Wendy, smirked. "Oh, just something that happened a long time ago…" That smirk turned into a warm smile. "He isn't in such a bad mood after all, god he's so hard to read… that brother of yours…"

Natsu looked at Ley with a confused look as they made their way through the long winding alley. After a few more seconds, Natsu came to a conclusion. "You'd make a really good mum, Ley. I think…"

Yeah, definitely… Natsu thought as Ley walked with Wendy in her arms. He could see his sister playing with one of Wendy's ponytails, as Ley looked at Natsu with a weird face. "W-what makes you say that?"

"Dunno…" Natsu looked ahead again, not really knowing what had made him say that. Sure, she looked really happy with Wendy in her arms, but that couldn't be all a mum needed, right? Natsu thought of Erza…

Would she make a good mum? A little more thought and Natsu remembered how much bodily harm Erza had inflicted on him whilst teaching him how to write. Yeah… I don't think so. While thinking of what a mum needed, Natsu's mind drifted to Lucy. Warmhearted, compassionate… thought not so lose as to let her kids get away with everything. The youngest Dragon Slayer imagined Lucy with a little baby in her arms… and almost ran into a wall.

"Where did you come from?" Natsu exclaimed, inches from his teeth meeting bricks.

"Were turning, Natsu…" Erza called out, the group winding deeper and deeper into the heart of the city.

An air draft would have brought the scent this far, Natsu thought catching up. What the hell is up with the smell… it's getting weird.

After a few more minutes the alley opened up, and just as Natsu stepped out from its entrance the brick sealed itself like a gate. "What the?" Natsu almost jumped back, "That's creepy, man…"

Natsu caught Ley and Lion glancing at each other, a message told by eyes passed between them. "Do you smell anything Natsu?" Ley asked

Wendy and Natsu both took a deep breath. Nothing out of the ordinary jumped out at Natsu. "No, nothin'. Should I be smelling something?"

"No," Lion turned around, staring at the capitol building Mercurius. "But I think I know what's going on…"

Erza looked confused, "So… are you going to tell us?"

Lion didn't answer.

Natsu saw Erza roll her eyes and turn to Ley, "Please be reasonable…"

"We have a sponsor…" Ley replied, "A god is supporting us… "

That blew all of Natsu's expectations out of the water. This doesn't make sense… "This doesn't make sense…" Said Natsu speaking exactly what his mind was thinking without a second thought.

"But," Wendy asked, "Aren't the god against us?"

"Only the thirteen or twelve that stood on the thrones of Olympus are against us… mostly. But there are hundreds of gods out there…" Ley said looking down at Wendy. "It's logical that some would oppose their leadership…"

"But who?" Lion murmured, more to himself than to the whole group.

"Is it leading us to the underworld?" Erza asked, "You said the cave system was bellow Mercurius…"

"The entrance isn't through the capitol building," Ley said. "Why would they lead us here?"

"Maybe it wants us to go inside?" Natsu said, taking a final smell of the air.

"I think your right, Natsu." Lion said.

"You do?" Natsu asked, usually in situations like these his suggestions didn't help.

"Why so surprised, not like your stupid." Lion said and they begun walking towards the capitol building.

Climbing the steps to the palace, Erza felt a strange attraction towards the doors. Some force was urging her one, like the need to eat or sleep. A feeling so primal it blocked out most rational thought. Most. Erza recalled how her fight with Lus had gone, the feeling the elder Light Slayer reminiscent of the one she felt. As she climbed the final steps, Erza stared upon the towering gates to Mercurius. Had the doors to the palace always been that large and beautiful? Had Erza ever wanted to open a set of doors so badly?

Behind Erza, she heard the sound of swords being drawn and axes doing their expand thing. Erza looked back, the expression on Natsu's face changing.

"Erza, why are you smiling like that?" Natsu asked before him and Wendy said, "Creepy…"

What? Erza doesn't remember ever ordering her muscles into a smile. She touched her face to confirm Natsu and Wendy's comment. Her lips were drawn into what felt like a permanent smile. "Christ, why am I smiling?" Erza turned to Ley who still held Wendy protectively.

"I-I don't know, Erza." Ley swallowed visibly, sweat dripping down her face. "Lion? You got an explanation?"

Erza turned to the eldest Fire Slayer, hoping for an answer on her drastic change of mood. Lion looked her up and down, and with the back of his unoccupied hand touched her forehead. Erza almost stumbled back at the gesture, not expecting it. Lion kept his hand on her forehead for a few more seconds before pulling away, satisfied with his conclusion. "Okay,"

"What's wrong with me?" Erza asked unsuccessful in trying to turn her smile into a worried look.

Lion thought for a few seconds while all of the group stood outside the palace door, then said in a very helpful manner. "I've got no clue…"

A tick mark appeared on Erza as her eye twitched, paired with the creepy smile she looked rather demonic. Grabbing Lion by the collar, Erza shook him. "Don't play games with me!" To Natsu and the rest of the crew, it looked like Erza was rapidly shaking a black blur.

"I'm, STOP!" Lion said through shakes. "I'm being serious! You've got no symptoms! Now can you please stop shaking me!"

Erza heard Lion's complain, though stopped shaking him a few seconds later, just because she could. Then, still with the wicked smile, got really close to Lion's face. "Are you sure? You don't need me to shake more information out of you?"

"Yes, ma'am!" Lion said and they parted ways, Ley and Natsu chuckling in silence. Lion shot them a look and both shut up.

Clearing her throat, Erza went for the door.

Erza pushed the thick stone plates apart alone, feeling unnatural strength cursing through her. She felt Lion staring over her head, searching for any threat. Lion's presence comforted Erza as she stepped into the enormous pillared room. The massive windows had somehow all been covered but one, leaving the room in pitch darkness except for a spot on the opposite side of the entrance. The throne was the only part illuminated, with a figure sitting upon it. Lion and Natsu quickly light up the room, setting their hands aflame. Erza felt her muscles grow stronger and her mind clear, the rest of the crew's footsteps echoing through the gargantuan room. Behind them, the door closed by itself.

Erza felt the imminent power from the opposite room, drawing her to it. As they approached, the figure upon the throne came into focus.

A woman's blonde curls came out of a winged helmet. A beautiful face and strong eyes watched Erza as she stopped at the foot of the stairs that led up to the throne. The woman was covered in what looked like bonze plating, with a spear held in her left hand. Her eyes were electric, filled to the brim with power. From Erza's right, she heard Lion's voice. "Nike…"

The woman's full lips grew into a smile, her eyes still trained on Erza. Natsu then asked, "Who's that?"

"The Goddess of Victory…" Lion replied.

"What the heck does that mean? She always wins?" Natsu said, some fire in his voice. "Cause' I'm ready to put that to the test!"

"Quite!" Nike brought said, hitting the ground with the butt of her spear. The whole room somehow grew quieter than before. Seconds passed before the goddess spoke again. "Titania…"

Erza skin grew warm at her name's use. She felt happy and confused as to why she felt happy. "Y-yes?"

"Come here, child… let me see you up close." Nike extended a hand.

Erza immediately stepped forward, something calling her.

"Erza! What are you doing?" Natsu called out.

"We don't know if she's the enemy or not!" Lion backed Natsu up, stepping in front of Erza.

Nike didn't like this and Erza saw a storm in her sight. But it was quickly hidden under the warm smile. "I have no intention of harming her, Deathbringer…"

"Who?" Natsu and Erza asked.

"Tch!" Lion said, but to Erza's surprise backed off. "Go, Erza. Gods like Nike don't lie…"

Erza was dumbstruck as she walked up the steps, for Lion to back off so easily. It meant that either Nike was crazy strong or she really was telling the truth. Or maybe it was the name she had used? A threat of exposure seemed to be what had scared Lion away.

Either way Erza made her way to the throne, Nike standing up as Erza overcame the last step. Slightly taller than Erza, Nike appeared to give off light on her own. And the second the goddesses' fingers made contact with Erza the room appeared to brighten. "How perfect…" Then the goddess of victory proceeded to feel Erza's body up. "Well balanced, front and back. Lean muscles… refined physic. Good."

Erza blushed and pushed the goddess away slightly. "H-hands off, lady!"

"Okay," Nika said, smiling. "But you're the best choice."

"Best choice for what?" Erza asked, feeling violated.

"I chose you…" Nike said and a sword appeared in the air, where Erza caught it out of reflex. The blade felt perfectly balanced, even though the blade was nearly as long as Erza's leg. Once in Erza's hands, the sword changed, the blade and hilt morphing. Enveloped by light as bright as the sun, Erza had to close her eyes so as to not get blinded. Once the light died away, the blade has become leaner and longer. The hilt changed from a thick and leather bound to a streamline steel wrapped in silk. It had changed from a longsword to a beautiful katana in a black scabbard.

Erza heard Ley gasp from bellow. "That sword…"

Nike looked past Erza, recognition in her eyes. "You recognize the weapon, Drakon?"

"Y-yes." Erza looked over her shoulder to look at Ley speak, "That's the Sword of Peleus. It's said to grant the user victory in battle…"

The goddess nodded and stared at Erza once again. "What do you think, Titania?"

After checking the balancing, Erza realized the weapon felt the perfect weight in her arms. The hilt seemingly perfect circumference for Erza's hands. Unsheathing the blade, black steel reflected the Requip wizard's face. Visible red steel lined the sharp side of the katana, the bright metal contrasting with the dark dominated sword. "It's beautiful…" Erza came back to attention, her excitement leaving the blade for a second. "Why are you giving this to me?"

Nike smiled; her blonde curls enchanted with divine power. "My champion… Titania, Queen of the Fairies,"

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